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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28959162">R.J.Lupin and The Marauder's Fifth Year</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OccasionallyThriving/pseuds/OccasionallyThriving'>OccasionallyThriving</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Marauders Fifth Year, POV Remus Lupin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:15:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,591</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28959162</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/OccasionallyThriving/pseuds/OccasionallyThriving</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In hindsight, thinking that The Marauders could ever keep their heads down - even for just one school year - was foolish.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sirius Black/Remus Lupin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Facial Hair and Animagus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey all!<br/>This is my first fic and so I absolutely claim any and all mistakes.<br/>In no way do I support JK Rowling's views, either.<br/>Thank you!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was September 1975.</p><p>Remus had just about survived four years of Hogwarts.</p><p>He didn’t think his fifth year was going to be any different, until the owl that delivered his book list just so happened to also drop a prefect badge onto his lap. Unfortunately for Remus, this was only the start of his problems.</p><p>As he had done every year, Remus arrived early for the train to avoid the hustle and bustle of the platform. Teary goodbyes from his mother, a pat on the back from his father then he was boarding the Hogwarts Express to find the same compartment the Marauders had used for the past four years. He pulled a book out of his bag and began to read, but it wasn’t long before he was interrupted by the door being slid open.</p><p>“Wotcher, Remus.”<br/>
Sirius threw himself down opposite Remus and slumped, letting out all the air from his lungs. He was beaming all the while he did this, and combined with the generally gaunt look he always had after a summer with his parents, it wasn’t his most attractive of moments. Not that Remus thought Sirius was attractive at all. If Remus were a girl, though, Sirius would definitely make him swoon. It just wasn’t a wormhole worth venturing into right now.</p><p>“Hullo Sirius.”<br/>
Remus slid the bookmark back into his book and smiled back at him.<br/>
“Good summer?”</p><p>“Positively wonderful,”<br/>
Sirius stretched his legs out so his feet were resting next to Remus, pale ankles exposed slightly in a way that made him subtly gulp.<br/>
“Mother didn’t manage to unstick those posters, and my hair grew back.”</p><p>Remus managed to look away and recalled the letter he’d received from an irate Sirius. His mother had hexed his long hair off when she’d been unable to remove the muggle posters of women and bikes from Sirius’ bedroom walls. The shrine to Godric Gryffindor was probably also a victim of this attack, but had remained unmentioned as Sirius had not long ago decided it was tacky. Removing it was out of the question, though, and so it stayed. He didn’t want to ask how Sirius had got his hair back, but he’d once mentioned that underage wizardry went unnoticed in 12 Grimmauld Place due to the pure amount of magic in the building's very foundations.</p><p>In any case, Remus didn’t get to ask anything more anyway, because James stumbled in. Remus managed to get half to his feet before James was hugging him briefly before squashing himself next to Sirius and putting an arm around him. James never got mocked for being gay - he was far more touchy feely than Remus AND he showered quite regularly with his quidditch team. Perhaps it was different because he was posh, Remus pondered.<br/>
“Survived another summer, did we?”</p><p>“Just about.”<br/>
Sirius smiled, looking very dashing in the sunlight.<br/>
“So James, you’re ready?”</p><p>“Ready and waiting.”<br/>
He replied with enthusiasm, eyes flickering to Remus as if he wanted this statement to be questioned.</p><p>Remus decided to indulge him.<br/>
“What are we waiting for, James?”</p><p>“Oh Moony…”<br/>
James chuckled,<br/>
“You’ll just have to wait and find out, won’t you?”</p><p>The final whistle for the train blew as Peter opened the door a crack and squeezed through, shutting it quietly behind him. He seemed to have changed the least of them all over the summer, but some of the childlike roundness to his cheeks had started to come away. Unfortunately, this had been replaced by adolescent acne- there was probably a wizarding cure for it.</p><p>“Hey Petey.”<br/>
James said,<br/>
“Almost missed it.”</p><p>“Mum wouldn’t let me go, bawling her eyes out again.”<br/>
Peter said with a shrug, pulling a chocolate frog from his pocket. They all hummed noncommittally and the carriage was quiet for the first moment since Sirius had entered. The conversation of mothers was never a welcome one, as Walburga Black made many a reptile appear a doting parent in comparison.</p><p>“So you’re ready, Pete?”</p><p>At this, Peter lit up.<br/>
“Yeah, been weather watching too.”</p><p>The three of them sniggered conspiracally and Remus only shook his head fondly. He patted Sirius’ ankle and got to his feet.<br/>
“Well, I’ll leave you lot to your plotting. I’ve got duties to get to.”<br/>
He pulled his prefect badge out of his pocket and found much joy at their dumbstruck faces as he pinned it to his robes. Before they had a chance to say anything, he was out of the carriage on his way to the prefects compartment. If they had started talking, he would never have left because in truth, the last thing Remus wanted was more stuff to think about. Dealing with first years would unfortunately not make it above Sirius. Sirius was on his mind a lot, recently, but Remus always had been a bit motherly to his friends.</p><p>“Loony Lupin, a prefect?”<br/>
Mulcibers voice carried well along the carriage as Remus passed them and all he could do was raise his chin and ignore them. He practiced this walk and expression in the mirror to perfection, it was required often.</p><p>“Slim pickings, I suppose.”<br/>
Remus had never done anything outright to Snape, but he was sorely tempted right now. He hated to imagine that Lily still thought this Slytherin was a good person. In the spirit of good behaviour, he simply raised his eyebrows at Snape and continued on his way.</p><p>After making it there without major incident, he was glad to find he was the first one so took a seat quietly at the back and recovered from the pain that stretching to his full height had caused. He was able to read quietly again for a few moments before the door was opened by a group of people which included one Lily Evans.</p><p>“Oh thank god it’s you, Remus. Maybe your lot might be less trouble this year if you’ve got some power.”</p><p>Remus pondered this for a moment. Fat chance of that ever happening, he thought. He didn’t say that to Lily, instead he nodded amicably and said,<br/>
“I hope so,”<br/>
As if he wasn’t the logical thinking behind their mischief. Remus liked the image that Lily had of him, though, and would try his best to retain it. He was studious and quiet, simply cursed with insane friends. The reason he got minimal punishment was simply because he was very hard to drag into the plans, not because he knew more passages and could actually keep his voice down.</p><p>The meeting was brief, with words of coming together and remaining positive in these dark times. He got the impression that the Head Boy wasn’t thrilled with his new position, and couldn’t help but sympathise. When it was all over, Remus walked with Lily back to her compartment. The Slytherins stayed mercifully silent as they passed, so deep in hushed discussion that they appeared to simply not see the pair, their shoulders hunched.</p><p>“If you want to study with me and the girls, Remus, you’re welcome to it. Same table in the library as always.”<br/>
Lily said, and this made him wonder if he seemed like he needed saving from the Marauders. He would definitely take her up on the offer, but it could possibly bring an issue up between him and James.</p><p>“I guess you’ve started the reading for this year, then?”</p><p>“Of course, and I guess you’ve finished it.”</p><p>This made Remus blush, and he looked down at his feet.<br/>
“Er- yes.”</p><p>Lily laughed, but it wasn’t mocking. Remus liked Lily, he wished she got on better with James and Sirius. He could mostly understand why she didn’t, though. Aside from the Snape issue, but he didn’t grant thinking about when the feast was only a small amount of time away.</p><p>“See you later, Lily.”</p><p>Marlene and Mary were already in the compartment, and were in peels of laughter about something.</p><p>“See ya Remus.”</p><p>The Marauders were silent when Remus reentered the compartment, and James' furious gesturing let him know why. Sirius was asleep against the window, his feet still up on the seat opposite. It was always this way when he got away from his family, as if he hadn’t had the time to enjoy a full night's sleep or eat an actual meal. This was probably the case, but Remus had never pried.</p><p>James and Peter went back to their chocolate frog cards, so Remus leant his back against the slumped Sirius, laid his legs along the seats and got his book out.</p><p>Remus wished that he’d known then exactly what was in store for him that year, but as the half asleep Sirius had begun to pat his hair, he knew nothing but contentment.</p><p>“Come on you lazy pair,”<br/>
James said with a fond look on his face as the train pulled into the station.<br/>
“Let’s go.”</p><p>“I’ll see you lot at the feast, prefect duties.”<br/>
Remus tucked his book away and stretched.<br/>
“Save me a seat.”</p><p>There was a chorus of ‘see ya Moony’ as they parted on the platform, and he marvelled at the brisk warm of the September evening. Lily was already rounding up first years, pausing every now and then to reassure the nervous looking ones. Remus recalled his own boat trip across the great lake and the terror when James and Sirius had begun to rock the tiny vessel.</p><p>They seemed to avoid him, which was not so shocking. He had acquired a scar right across the bridge of his nose last year, and paired with the summer’s growth spurt which had left him approaching 6 foot, Remus wouldn’t have approached himself either. Lily, though, was handling the first years with such ease. She had her arm around a brown haired girl and was explaining that the boats couldn’t tip over and that Hagrid would be accompanying them to the castle.</p><p>“Remus can testify that those boats are untippable, can’t you Remus?”</p><p>He put on his best friendly smile and hoped it didn’t look like a grimace.<br/>
“Nothing can tip those boats, not even Sirius Black and James Potter.”</p><p>This finally seemed to convince her to climb into the boat and sit demurely beside another equally scared looking first year, even though she'd probably never heard those names before . They stood and watched until the boats left, then made their way to the last carriage.</p><p>“Is it bad to say I wish I could see the thestrals?”<br/>
Lily queried, breaking their relatively comfortable silence in which Remus had been listening in to a heated discussion about vampires between a hufflepuff and a ravenclaw.</p><p>Remus had spent the past few years noticing Sirius’ pained looks in the direction that the thestrals should be, and wasn’t too eager to see them himself.<br/>
“I’m sure they’re just for the dramatics, they probably could’ve enchanted the carriages to just move on their own.”</p><p>Lily nodded.<br/>
“Wizards are just dramatic in general. Like… the great feast?”</p><p>Now this, Remus was inclined to agree with.<br/>
“James and Sirius speak for themselves.”</p><p>“Unfortunately so.”</p><p>“They’re planning something already, on the train.”<br/>
Remus shook his head in a way that was probably more fond than the disparing he’d been aiming for.</p><p>“Merlin help us.”</p><p>The great hall was warm and welcoming after the draughty carriage, the din of conversation filling Remus with a sense of home. Lily gave him a small wave as she sat with Dorcas, Mary and Marlene, to which he returned a nod.</p><p>“Hey Moony, did Evans happen to mention me at-“<br/>
James had leant across the table on his elbows to divest Remus of a minute by minute play back of the time he’d spent with Lily when he was interrupted by Hagrids entrance to the great hall. The first years shuffled in after him, totally overwhelmed by the entire experience. Remus himself remembered falling into bed and sleeping like the dead after his sorting, but he doubted he’d ever been quite that small.</p><p>They clapped for every student as the hat called out their house, but especially those that would be joining the Gryffindor table. Peter had his own tradition of being slightly sour at every sorting, although he hid it quite well nowadays. It must have been to do with his own sorting, a hat stall that had lasted five minutes and left Remus (already seated by this point) cringing with secondhand embarrassment. They had never spoken about it, but Remus could only otherwise see Peter in Hufflepuff. He wondered what the hat had whispered in his ear.</p><p>When the sorting was done, and the food appeared on the tables, the usual routine began. The knives and forks themselves were stainless steel, but the fancy serving plates and pots were silver, as well as those spoons and ladles. In his first year Remus would simply bear it and deal with the burns later on, but now they had come up with their own strange tradition. James and Sirius would play mother and father and dish out the food.</p><p>“Peas, Peter?”</p><p>Peter pulled a face and shook his head, so James dumped a spoonful on anyway.</p><p>If anybody else at the Gryffindor table thought this odd, they never mentioned it. Most likely they put it down as another oddity of the Marauders - mother and father was not an altogether incorrect way to describe James and Sirius either. They were constantly poking Remus when he was deep into his studying to ask if he’d had anything to drink, or nudging Peter into a better mood when someone had made fun of him.</p><p>For the first few meals after the summer, Sirius would inhale plate after plate of food, all the while maintaining his perfect table manners. It was most likely going to be the only extended period of Sirius-silence this year excluding sleep. Even in sleep though, he was an avid sleep talker.</p><p>“Something on my face, Remus?”</p><p>Caught out at having been noticed staring, he simply laughed and said,<br/>
“Only that pathetic excuse for facial hair.”</p><p>Sirius’ hand flew protectively to his upper lip.<br/>
“How dare you, I spent all summer growing this to annoy my darling mother.”</p><p>“So it’s going, then?”<br/>
Peter asked with a grin.</p><p>Sirius looked around at them in mock disbelief.<br/>
“Well if nobody likes it… what do you think, dearest Jammy?”</p><p>Without pausing to swallow his mouthful, James shook his head.<br/>
“Off with it.”</p><p>It was nice to be surrounded by his best friends again. Hogwarts was his favourite place in the world, Remus decided, magic seeped so deep into the walls it practically hummed. He felt at home, and he let the sounds wash over him as he ate.</p><p>When they were all stuffed to the brim and the plates had disappeared, Remus was the first to stand up. At the questioning looks from his friends, he simply pointed to his prefect badge.</p><p>Sirius groaned,<br/>
“Oh merlin this is going to make you BORING, Moony.”</p><p>“As if he wasn’t already.”</p><p>“Hey, we’re supportive of Grandad Remus, aren’t we?”</p><p>He left them all to their bickering and headed up the table.<br/>
“First years?”</p><p>Lily appeared at his side as a small group started to gather. When he decided they must have collected the lot, Remus led the way up to Gryffindor tower. Along the journey he tried his best to point out the things he’d used to navigate his way around the castle and Lily added things to be watchful of, such as the disappearing step and peeves the poltergeist. But, from experience, he knew that their wide eyes were deceptive and that they would be forgetting all of this by morning.</p><p>“If you do get lost, don’t be afraid to ask a staff member or a student wearing a prefect badge. Most of the students will be happy to help, too. We were all in your position once.”</p><p>Remus admired that Lily could find the right words to put the first years at ease, and he hoped that experience would make him less awkward over time.</p><p>“The password is Leaping Toadstools.”<br/>
She also provided as they came to a stop at the door, and Remus assumed she’d spoken to McGonagall about this. He wasn’t being a particularly good prefect right now.</p><p>They allowed the students to take in the new surroundings of the Gryffindor common room for a moment, before they were split up into boys and girls.</p><p>“Boys this way, girls go with Lily.”</p><p>They’d been given a sheet of parchment with room numbers and names on, which was an easy enough job. Or so Remus thought, until one student began to complain that he didn’t get his own room.</p><p>“You’ll have to take that up with McGonagall in the morning, but give it a chance, it’s a good way to make friends,”<br/>
He ran a hand through his hair and listened as more voices bustled their way through the portrait hole.<br/>
“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to knock at my door. My friends will tell you where to find me if I’m not there.”</p><p>After wishing them goodnight, Remus left them to their own devices. All he could think of was his bed. But as he entered the dorm, silence fell and three heads turned to look at him.</p><p>“By all means, carry on.”</p><p>James and Peter were sat on the edges of their respective beds, while Sirius leant on the bedpost of the former’s. The plotting had not been lighthearted, by the looks of it, as Peter’s cheeks were tinged pink in the way that only happened when Sirius had hurt his feelings. Remus was too tired for it, and went to have his shower.</p><p>Whatever had happened had been rectified by the time of his reappearance, because James and Peter were playing chess at the desk and Sirius hastily stopped what he’d been doing.</p><p>“Took your time, eh?”<br/>
Sirius winked then did as he always did and stripped as he crossed the dorm to the shower, leaving various items of clothing littered around the room.</p><p>Taking absolutely no time at all, Remus flopped face first onto his bed, letting himself inhale deeply the smell of Hogwarts. Another year. He was revelling in this enjoyment, because OWLs were right around the corner. In the end, he fell asleep this way but woke up tucked under the covers. Hogwarts magic.</p><p>His first big surprise came a few days later, while they were all sat outside enjoying some fleeting summer sunshine. Peter was the one that broke the silence, not looking away from the book he hadn’t turned a page on for fifteen minutes.</p><p>“Some lightning due tonight.”</p><p>Remus had dealt with the ominous weather comments, snickering and interrupted meetings for a week now. He was thoroughly fed up that they carried on even without the prying that he’d learnt usually egged them on.</p><p>“Someone is going to tell me what you have planned or so be it I’ll bring back Sirius’ facial fluff.”</p><p>“Oi! That shouldn’t be a threat!”</p><p>“No I’ll tell him.”<br/>
Potter shut his book dramatically and swept all of his notes into his back in a similar fashion.<br/>
“We’ve been working on something, for your benefit-“</p><p>“It’s been really hard!”<br/>
Peter nodded with enthusiasm.</p><p>“We knew you’d probably disapprove or read about the times it’s gone wrong and then put an end to it.”<br/>
Sirius said, still put out at the facial hair comment.</p><p>Remus was about to retort that he would never dream of putting down their plans, but he knew they’d start listing examples and so he kept quiet and let James continue on.</p><p>“Well. During a lesson on animagi, McGonagall just so happened to mention that they aren’t affected by werewolf bites. And we’d been trying to puzzle out a way of helping you with your furry little problem anyway.”</p><p>“What the fuck.”</p><p>It was far from the first time they had managed to shock a swear word out of Remus, but it was the only statement he could use that truly conveyed how shocked he was. He had to repeat it again before he could truly finish processing.</p><p>“You’d do all of that… for me?”</p><p>James, who seemed to find great comfort in physical contact, was the first to move. He leant over and wrapped his arms around Remus, squeezing him tight. Then Sirius squished in from beside James and Peter reached out to pat Remus on the back.</p><p>“You’re our best mate, Remus, we’d do anything for you. Marauders would do anything for eachother, right?”</p><p>As they all pulled back from their attack on Remus’ personal space, they nodded and made various noises of agreement. If he were less baffled, Remus might have even teared up.</p><p>“What about the register?”</p><p>“Oh we’re just not gonna tell anyone. We’ll just have our furry little secrets.”</p><p>So that night, while lighting cracked the sky apart, the three boys downed their potions. At the next strike, down by the Great Lake, stood a boy, a dog, a rat and a stag.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Map and An Unexpected Visitor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was November 1975.</p><p> </p><p>It was Peter who had the idea for a map, after he and Remus had spent the early afternoon hunting high and low for the other half of the Marauders. </p><p> </p><p>“With all the secret passageways we find too, so there’s nowhere for them to hide.”</p><p> </p><p>This sounded a little creepy with that wording, Remus thought, but the idea was a good one and he didn’t want to be responsible for upsetting Peter. </p><p> </p><p>“They’ll turn up soon,”</p><p>Remus stuck his hands in his pockets and stopped in his tracks.</p><p>“Tea?”</p><p> </p><p>“Could murder a cuppa.”</p><p>Peter nodded and turned to follow him.</p><p> </p><p>“We can start drafting that map.”</p><p> </p><p>This seemed to cheer Peter up, although he was only ever truly happy when James and Sirius were including him. Remus tried not to mind, he didn’t need to be hero worshiped.</p><p> </p><p>In the end, it was Sirius and James who found them, bent over a piece of Remus’ best parchment in the corner of the common room. </p><p>“Wotcher, Remus. Peter.”</p><p>Sirius threw himself down on the floor and leant his shoulder against Remus’ knee.</p><p> </p><p>James perched on the arm of Peter’s armchair and leant forward.</p><p>“This doesn’t look like homework.”</p><p>He pointed out, at the same time a slight smell of dung bomb reached Remus’ nose.</p><p> </p><p>“S’not homework.”</p><p>Peter grinned, not looking away from James.</p><p>“We’re making a map.”</p><p> </p><p>It sounded distinctly uncool when told like that, Remus concluded and so felt the need to elaborate. Of course coolness and the need to impress <em> people </em>was not something that ever bothered him. Not until lately.</p><p>“With name tags. And all the secret passageways we have found.”</p><p> </p><p>Sirius’ head was cocked like a curious dog, and it appeared Remus had stunned them into silence. It was an unusual occurrence - a nearly impossible one too.</p><p> </p><p>“Think of the mischief.”</p><p> </p><p>“Paired with the cloak! We’d be unstoppable.”</p><p> </p><p>“If this is prefectly duties then I should hate to think what’s going to happen when you get head boy.”</p><p> </p><p>This made the others chuckle, but Remus was suddenly overwhelmed at how detrimental this could be in the wrong hands. Everyone in the castle, tagged and named. Who they’re with. This map in the hands of Severus Snape (who’d taken to irregularly following him around) could spell disaster for Remus.</p><p> </p><p>“It needs a secret code. So only we can get into it.”</p><p> </p><p>Peter dutifully scribbled this onto the scrap of parchment.</p><p> </p><p>“How do you get name tags to follow people?”</p><p> </p><p>“Homonculous.”</p><p> </p><p>“But we need to do the password first.”</p><p> </p><p>“We also need to like, actually go around to map this out.”</p><p>Sirius said, turning his head to rest his chin on Remus’ knee.</p><p>“Anyway, we can -“</p><p> </p><p>“Mr Black, Mr Potter.”</p><p>Mcgonagall stood in the portrait hole, her hands clasped in front of her.</p><p>“I don’t know how you managed to break into the Slytherin common room, but I know it must’ve been you. Come with me, please.”</p><p> </p><p>“She never suspects me and you.”</p><p>Peter huffs, watching James and Sirius follow Mcgonagall out of the room. He sounded disappointed, the pleasant mood Remus had managed to conjure in him suddenly gone.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I, for one, would rather not be scrubbing floors in the dungeons.”</p><p>Remus smiled and stood, the point above his knee where Sirius’ chin had rested was burning. He gathered up the parchment into a neat pile, Peter’s scrap of notes on the very top.</p><p>“I’m going to do some homework in the dorm.”</p><p> </p><p>Peter watched Remus glumly before he stood up and headed in the direction of Frank Longbottom, who was playing chess with a seventh year.</p><p>“See ya Remus.”</p><p> </p><p>Instead of doing homework, Remus flopped directly onto Sirius’ bed, inhaled, then screamed into his pillow. He did this occasionally and justified it with the fact that Sirius’ bed was simply closest to the door. The other times this happened though, he would turn the pillow over and go about his day or have a very cold shower. Today he did neither, and promptly fell asleep.</p><p> </p><p>As a rule, midday naps were usually avoided. Waking up with a cottony feeling mouth and a suffocating weight on his back, Remus remembered why.</p><p> </p><p>“Sleep well, Moony?”</p><p>Sirius whispered, then stuck his tongue into Remus’ ear without hesitation.</p><p> </p><p>“Twat!”</p><p>Remus tried to roll away from Sirius, using a hand over his face to hold him back but Sirius just slobbered on his palm too.</p><p> </p><p>It was a standard for the week before the full moon, Remus was exhausted but couldn’t sleep at night, he forgot his own strength and, well, that’s how Sirius ended up on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“I should’ve put money on you being a dog, you filthy fleabag.”</p><p>Remus muttered, secretly thinking that there was no other way he’d rather be awoken from a nap. He wasn’t so pleased about the slobbering, though.</p><p> </p><p>“That time of the month, huh?”</p><p>Sirius said from the floor, having made no attempt to get back up.</p><p> </p><p>“The standard protocol, bedroom activities have been put on hold for a week - unless you don’t mind the mess.”</p><p>He was recalling a conversation that Emmeline, Mary and Marlene had had in one of their study groups, and didn’t expect it to shock Sirius as much as it did.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you just make a period joke, Remus?”</p><p> </p><p>“You did it first.”</p><p> </p><p>“Shuddup.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus shrugged to himself and held out a hand to pull Sirius back up onto the bed.</p><p>“Do you mind handing in my homework for-“</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t have to ask me every month, moonsy. I’ll remember.”</p><p>Sirius laid down next to Remus, it was a squeeze fitting them both on but they always seemed to manage. Without a word, his hand found Sirius’ long black hair and began to scratch. It wasn’t very effective because Remus was a habitual nail biter, but Sirius groaned all the same.</p><p>“You have magic hands. Massive magic hands.”</p><p>He paused for a moment as if thinking about what he was gonna say,</p><p>“I guess that’s why the girls are always inviting you along to their ‘study groups’, huh?”</p><p> </p><p>“Har har, of course. Don’t tell James.”</p><p> </p><p>“What aren’t you telling me?”</p><p> </p><p>“Moony has been using his magic hands on all the ladies and the study groups are, as we expected, orgies.”</p><p> </p><p>Peter squeezed past James, beaming once more,</p><p>“Orgies?”</p><p> </p><p>“All I was trying to do was explain that I’m not in the mood because it’s that time of the month.”</p><p>Remus appreciated that the way he and Sirius were sharing the bed was considered a normal marauder activity. Nobody even blinked.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re a <em> dog </em>Sirius, hounding poor Remus like that.”</p><p>James shook his head with mock disapproval at Sirius’ behaviour.</p><p>“But what do you really talk about in your study groups? Why do they just accept you?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s obviously just his <em> wolffish </em>good looks.”</p><p> </p><p>“If you make a joke about me having them howling I will have no choice but to kill you all. With extreme prejudice. James, Sirius, then you Peter.”</p><p> </p><p>“Me? All I’ve done is-“</p><p> </p><p>“Crime by association. Sorry Peter. You had a good run.”</p><p> </p><p>“What would you do without us though, Moony?”</p><p> </p><p>“Study in peace. Sleep in peace. Go to lessons and <em> learn </em>for once, rather than passing notes for you two-“</p><p> </p><p>“Sounds <em> boring </em>!”</p><p> </p><p>This was indeed a good point.</p><p>
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</p><p>The end of November brought the last month of the year. It was December 1975.</p><p> </p><p>Full moons in December could never quite fall in the right place. </p><p> </p><p>The Christmas holidays of 1975 were the most eventful Remus had had yet, and he did hope it remained that way.</p><p> </p><p>It started off with the full moon in the last few days of school, and the argument he’d had with the marauders about missing the last day of term. </p><p> </p><p>“For merlin's sake, Remus!”</p><p>James had thrown his hands up in the air, exasperated.</p><p>“It’s one day! And all we’re going to be doing is playing Christmas games anyway! Just stay in bed.”</p><p> </p><p>Sirius had nodded passionately along, and felt the need to add to what James had said.</p><p>“You’ll fall over if you stand up, look how pale you are. You’re exhausted Remus, just rest up for us.”</p><p> </p><p>Thankfully before Peter had gotten the urge to chip in and caused Remus to actually start a fight about this, Madam Pomfrey bustled in.</p><p>“How do you three always get in here? Go on, off you go, you’ve got lessons. I don’t care that it’s the last day.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus had tried to be included in this and swung his legs off the bed, but was stopped by her pointed finger.</p><p>“Not a chance, young man. Put those legs back up this instant.”</p><p> </p><p>He meekly did what he was told and James gave her a fleetingly look of awe.</p><p> </p><p>“Seeya Moony.”</p><p>They had all said, only slightly triumphant, and left him in the hospital wing to read.</p><p> </p><p>The plan after this had been for them to go back to their respective families for Christmas, then they’d floo or get the knight bus to James’ for New Years.</p><p> </p><p>This had not been ideal for Sirius, who had spent every Christmas at Hogwarts since first year. The sudden change of heart worried Remus deeply, and he wondered what Regulus had said to make Sirius change his mind about going home when he didn’t have to. He was deeply curious of what Mr and Mrs Black’s opinions of his friends were, but he certainly wasn’t brave enough to ask Sirius this. </p><p> </p><p>The journey to Kings Cross was the quietest Remus had ever had, the worry for what Sirius was getting into weighing heavily on their shoulders. </p><p> </p><p>“I see you worrying, Remus. It’ll be fine.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know, you just shouldn’t have to deal with them.”</p><p> </p><p>James and Peter were asleep, heads lolled back and mouths open. Sirius had been gazing longingly at the countryside racing past and Remus had been staring at the same page of his book for the past twenty minutes.</p><p> </p><p>Sirius shrugged then turned back to the window.</p><p> </p><p>“I know you spend a lot of time at the Potter’s but my parents think you’re great, you’re always welcome at mine.”</p><p>Remus recalled the few times his parents had met Sirius on the platform, where he’d pulled his ultimate charm out of the bag. His parents were under the impression that Sirius was an excellent influence on their son.</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks Moony.”</p><p> </p><p>There had been three days of radio silence from Sirius, while the others shared irregular letters mostly regarding him. Remus tried to enjoy being home again. He’d missed his mum and dad, the family dog Pip too. Mostly he’d missed the peace and quiet, he could sit and finish a book here. The complete privacy of his bedroom should not have been taken for granted either.</p><p> </p><p>On the fourth day, Christmas Eve eve, Sirius showed his face on his half of James’ mirror. According to James' letter to Remus, he seemed ‘alright but not quite right’ which was a very helpful statement indeed. Apparently Sirius would still be joining them at the Potter’s for New Years.</p><p> </p><p>After confirmation that Sirius was in fact alive, Remus found it much easier to go about his days off. Christmas morning was as cozy as it was every year, they would have tea and breakfast, then it was time to open presents. Hope was in charge of handing out the few presents from under the tree, while Lyall would hastily gather up the discarded paper. It was all delightfully predictable and Remus revelled in his gifts of new clothes and books and writing supplies. </p><p> </p><p>Then, late on Christmas evening there was a knock at the door. Lyall picked his wand up even though it was most likely one of the neighbours and Remus followed him to listen in.</p><p> </p><p>“Mr Lupin. Hello. Is Remus there?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em> Sirius? </em>”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh thank god.”</p><p>Lyall had moved aside and Remus hurried forward to meet the oncoming Sirius in a hug.</p><p> </p><p>“Sirius from the platform last year?”</p><p>Hope asked quietly, as if they met people quite regularly with the same name.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m out. Remus- I’ve- they-“</p><p>Sirius paused and looked at Remus and then at his parents.</p><p>“It’s Christmas evening.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re welcome any time, Sirius. Me and Hope were just heading to bed if you two wish to have a catch up in the kitchen.”</p><p> </p><p>It was then that Remus had caught sight of Sirius Hogwarts trunk, and realised what had happened.</p><p>“Come on, Pads. Night mum, night dad.”</p><p> </p><p>There was little sense in what Sirius had told him, but he gathered that he’d come to the Lupins because of worries that his mother might try to find him and that they knew of the Potters. It would have been easy to ask why Sirius’ parents didn’t know about his friend the Lupin, but that was just selfishness speaking. Talk of burning tapestries, his brother Regulus and the family house elf. In the end, after Sirius had finished a cup of malted milk, he was happily herded upstairs where a camp bed had been set up besides Remus’ bed. Sirius’ trunk had been pushed under the bed alongside Remus’ too, and he knew it to be his mother’s work. His exhausted friend accepted a set of Remus’ pyjamas because exploring that gilded trunk was not something he was currently brave enough for. </p><p> </p><p>There was a moment of eye contact and an unspoken arrangement was come to. Sirius got under the covers and rested his head on Remus’ pyjama clad chest - it only took a moment of hair stroking for him to begin sobbing. They would never mention it, but it was a mark of how far Sirius had come. The open vulnerability and trust was something he’d gained from spending the majority of his waking hours with James over the past few years. Remus had never met a group of boys so comfortable with physical contact, not bothered about their absolute masculinity. It was nice to not be called a fairy for wanting a hug, especially as he probably was one. It was too late to be anxious about if he was taking advantage of Sirius, it wasn’t like he was doing anything other than what Sirius initiated.</p><p> </p><p>Boxing Day morning Remus woke up alone, the bed cold beside him and the pyjamas he’d leant Sirius strewn over his desk chair. </p><p> </p><p>“There he is! Our favourite late riser.”</p><p> </p><p>“Sirius was just telling us about how you’re always the first one awake at school,”</p><p>He shot Sirius his best glare, but his mum didn’t notice and carried on talking.</p><p>“Why aren’t you like that here, huh?”</p><p> </p><p>“Showers.”</p><p>He said simply and flicked the kettle on to boil. </p><p> </p><p>It was when he leant back against the counter and the sleep haze lifted that he finally took in the scene before him. The radio was playing quietly on the windowsill, Sirius and his mother sat next to each other at the kitchen table- they were crocheting. He had to let it sink in for a moment, let himself process it.</p><p>“How on earth did you get him to sit still long enough?”</p><p> </p><p>“Your mother is an excellent teacher, and apparently I’m just naturally talented at <em> everything </em>. It is such a burden.”</p><p> </p><p>He had poured himself a cup of tea and cursed himself for ever offering to have Sirius here. </p><p> </p><p>After breakfast and tearing Sirius away from his wool, they went for a walk with Pip. James would’ve mocked him for being so very English. It was decided he’d send a message to James that afternoon, spend one more night at the Lupins and then leave for the Potters, where Remus would join him on New Year’s Eve.</p><p> </p><p>They spent a quiet and incredibly domestic afternoon turned evening together, Sirius with his new found love for crochet, Remus with his book, David Bowie playing quietly in the background. They watched TV with his parents and drank hot chocolate. He didn’t think Sirius was actually watching the pictures on the screen, he was just staring in fascination. </p><p> </p><p>“I’d read and written about them in muggle studies, but they’re so much cooler.” </p><p>He’d said quietly as he pushed his toes under Remus' thigh.</p><p> </p><p>That night they lay shoulder to shoulder in bed, staring up at the ceiling. They had both known the other was awake, but not known how to start the inevitable conversation. So Remus took another route.</p><p> </p><p>“Where are you going in the summer?”</p><p> </p><p>“The Potters. We’ve seen this coming, kinda, what with the Dark Lord rising and all that.”</p><p>Sirius turned his head so he was looking at Remus, but Remus couldn’t meet his eye so stayed as he was. He wondered how he looked in profile, for a moment, with his thin and slightly crooked nose.</p><p> </p><p>“And after Hogwarts?”</p><p> </p><p>“I want a flat in London. Muggle London. Maybe I’ll be an auror. I’ll see what happens. Either way, there’s a war coming.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus hummed in agreement.</p><p>“Maybe I’ll do some kind of research. Or I’ll become a werewolf rights activist or something.”</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll figure it out. Don’t see why you don’t want to be a professor.”</p><p> </p><p>“I become a monster once a month, Sirius. I’m not exactly safe to be around children.”</p><p> </p><p>“And yet you are a student.”</p><p> </p><p>They were silent for a while, neither of them feeling anything near tired, before Sirius spoke up.</p><p> </p><p>“Alphard died. He left all his money to me.”</p><p> </p><p>Now Remus turned to look at Sirius, who’s eyes were shining with emotion in the darkness.</p><p>“Is that why-“</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. Straw that broke the camel's back for the old lady. It’s a shame, because I would have loved to find out what it would’ve taken otherwise.”</p><p> </p><p>The relationship Sirius had had with his family had never made sense to Remus, how he could stand to stand up and be different. Perhaps this was what made Sirius a Gryffindor. Even the family members he got along well with, like Alphard, seemed vaguely repulsive to Remus. He could ask what had happened, what had killed Alphard, but prying was not Remus’ job. It was James’. Instead, Remus was a listening ear, a sturdy foundation, a shoulder to lean on. People would tell him what they wanted to, and he learnt far too much about them. </p><p> </p><p>He knew Lily Potter had a doe patronus, to James’ stag. He knew that Emmeline Vance had had a crush on Sirius for two years. He knew that Sirius had kissed Isabelle from Ravenclaw who was in their charms class. He knew that Peter had once peed in the tunnel from the whomping willow to the shack. </p><p> </p><p>“Wanna sneak out and see some Christmas lights?”</p><p> </p><p>Sirius was out of bed and grabbing his jeans before he’d even finished saying,</p><p>“Of course!”</p><p> </p><p>Being the responsible one, Remus chucked one of his jumpers at Sirius, who begrudgingly put it on under his leather jacket.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t even know what Christmas lights are.”</p><p> </p><p>They squeezed out of Remus' window and onto the roof of the front porch, going to great lengths to carry Pip with them. Sirius grew very attached to the Lupin family dog over the course of a few days, and Remus endeavoured to get his friend a puppy when they left Hogwarts. Pip- having dealt with many of Remus’ misadventures in her youth- put up no protest to being hauled out the window.</p><p> </p><p>Sirius climbed down the trellis first, Remus passed Pip down and then jumped. The only response he got was a dramatic roll of the eyes, but the Marauders had accidentally tested Remus’ athletic abilities and slightly enhanced healing enough times that they didn’t worry about him much anymore.</p><p> </p><p>The trio took a shortcut through the fields to get to the high street, a path familiar to Pip and Remus. Sirius, however, was perturbed at best.</p><p> </p><p>“If I get mauled by something it’s your fault. I’m not scared, but, there’s definitely someone following us.”</p><p>He said this enough times that Remus decided he definitely was scared. The babbling was comforting though, so he didn’t poke fun. The complete lack of streetlights was something Remus had always been used to, but Grimmauld Place was in London and far from dark at all hours.</p><p> </p><p>“Just go Padfoot until we get there.”</p><p>Remus supplied. Sirius looked at him as if he’d said something of the utmost genius and was suddenly dropping forward onto four legs.</p><p> </p><p>It was a clear night, the moon a perfect crescent and the stars blinking wildly in a way they only did in Remus’ home town. The boy and two dogs got to a gate at the edge of town then became one dog and two boys. Pip was not at all concerned by this, and Remus thought it was probably because she’d seen much worse.</p><p> </p><p>“Bloody hell!”</p><p>Sirius exclaimed, breaking away from Remus to look at the nearest house. It’s gutter and windows were adorned with colourful lights, a wreath on the door and a portly Father Christmas statue on the lawn. From there they made their way slowly around the village and by the time they got to the giant Christmas tree in the square, Remus was freezing and Sirius’ excitement had devolved to passionate mumbling.</p><p> </p><p>There was the sound of voices and approaching footsteps before someone called out:</p><p>“Lupin?”</p><p> </p><p>Remus groaned,</p><p>“Keep walking Sirius, please.”</p><p> </p><p>“This your boyfriend, Lupin?” </p><p> </p><p>This comment made Sirius swing around to face the three boys and was the worst thing he possibly could have done, because they fell into peels of laughter.</p><p> </p><p>“You’d know all about boyfriends wouldn’t you, Ioan? I’ve heard borstal is fun like that.”</p><p>He let it sink in before he grabbed Sirius and hauled him away.</p><p>“We’ve got to go, come on. There’s no use being all Gryffindor about it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Fine, but I’m not running.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus gave him a pointed look.</p><p>“Neither am I.”</p><p> </p><p>Sirius smiled up at him and it hit Remus that, bathed in golden streetlight, Sirius was the most beautiful person he had ever met. Effortlessly beautiful, clearly bubbling with rage but desperate not to upset Remus. Then a snowball hit him square in the back of the head and all hell broke loose.</p><p> </p><p>In the end it wasn’t clear who threw the first punch, but they landed up sat on the curb, leaning shoulder to shoulder. Sirius did not often have fits of rage anymore, meaning the pure force of him struck Remus dumb nowadays. It had been commonplace in first and second year for glass to smash and curtains to rip when something had upset the boy. Remus simply put an arm around Sirius’ shoulder - James had taught them all to take comfort in physical contact when words couldn’t bridge a gap- and pressed his cheek against smooth black hair.</p><p> </p><p>It had taken for Remus to get knocked on his arse with a bloody nose for anyone else to get involved. Sirius wasn’t a natural fighter by any stretch, but Peter (who’d attended a comprehensive for a few years and had muggle friends back home) had ensured that he could hold his own. A voice called down from one of the flats above the highstreet, and the three tormentors decided to call it quits, leaving the air echoing with slurs as they retreated.</p><p> </p><p>Despite what logic may have led him to believe, Remus was not a fighter- he could not throw a punch to save his life. It was what they would say whenever Remus voiced concerns about Snape and his pointed looks. They’d tell him that ‘no one will figure it out, look at you! You’re all noodly!’ which did actually hurt his feelings a little because all of them - even Peter to an extent - grew in logical ways. Remus, however, seemed to be on a never ending growth spurt and was built (in his mothers words) like a beanpole. Perhaps he would never stop growing.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry for ruining the evening Moony.”</p><p>Sirius' voice brought him back to the cold curbside. </p><p> </p><p>“It was them that ruined it. Don’t you worry your pretty head.”</p><p>He was only trying to lighten the mood. But then, Sirius was shifting away so that he could look at Remus. It wasn’t his fault that Sirius’ lips were just so perfect and then Sirius was leaning in and closing his eyes and Remus was also leaning in and closing his eyes. They were <em> kissing </em> Remus thought gleefully, until Sirius tried to move closer and knocked Remus's sore nose. Instinctively, he reared back, clutching his face. Both of them were baffled, and Remus really was cold.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s go back.”</p><p> </p><p>And they did, traipsing back through the fields, up the trellis and in through the window. They ended up in exactly the same position as they were before they’d left, except for Remus having a bloody nose now.</p><p> </p><p>“I think I’ve had a crush on you for a long time and not realised it.”</p><p>Remus was whispering before he thought about it, and Sirius stiffened beside him.</p><p> </p><p>“Merlin, Moony.”</p><p> </p><p>The sting of rejection made Remus want to curl in on himself and just stop existing, but god was not that merciful.</p><p>“It’s okay, we don’t have to tell James. Or Peter. Or anyone. We can pretend it never happened, if you like.”</p><p> </p><p>“Is that what you want?”</p><p> </p><p>“No. Not really, but they all think I’m gay anyway.”</p><p>He shrugged. Might as well be gay, he supposed, being that he was a werewolf already. </p><p>“If my furry little problem is fine but they’ve got an issue with <em> that </em>then they’re the ones with a problem.”</p><p> </p><p>“You amaze me sometimes, Remus.”</p><p>Sirius rolls onto his side, pale eyes shining in the near darkness.</p><p>“Kiss me again?”</p><p><br/> </p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Perfect Houseguest and Prewett Fireworks</h2></a>
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    <span>My Dearest Moonmoon</span>
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    <span>Tell your mother I miss her and that I’ve nearly finished that jumper I started knitting just before my departure. I made sure it was the ugliest shade of green I could find so that it would fit in with the rest of your wardrobe. Consider it an early birthday present.</span>
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    <span>Is Pip missing me? I am missing her as the Potters have a cat who hates me deeply, and that was even before I chased her up a tree last year. </span>
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    <span>I am considering telling James before you get here, but I do not think I would survive that expression he pulls when something has completely blindsided him. We have been having exceedingly deep conversations on topics mostly related to Lily Evans. Her hair, her eyes, the way she walks. It is almost as if I must have an undying love for her, as an extension of James. You may have to be careful, but I do believe out of the four of us you would have the most luck pursuing Miss Evans. I have not forgotten our discussion of your magic hands and The Study Groups. One of these days I shall endeavour to join you for one of such sessions. Perhaps we could do some one to one work, because I am in dire need of help in herbology.</span>
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    <span>Anyway, its time for dinner and you know that in my list of priorities everything will always come second to it,</span>
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    <span>Yours, </span>
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    <span>Your new big furry problem</span>
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    <span>PS - James says bring all your homework, he only wants to review it, absolutely no copying will be involved.</span>
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  <span>Remus chuckled fondly and folded the letter up. It would go with all the other letters he’d received over the years from the Marauders in an old shoebox he kept under the bed. Of course he couldn’t tell them that he did this, as he would more than likely get called a sap for it. It was nice though, to have physical proof that he was thought of.</span>
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  <span>Sirius leaving to go to the Potters so soon after their little revelation deeply disappointed Remus, but he’d thought at least st it gave him space to think for a while. Not that he had a chance to not think about Sirius, what with the Potters poor owl coming to visit so often. He was just glad that he hadn’t started waxing poetic to him, but knowing Sirius it was only a matter of time.</span>
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  <span>The days after he had gone to the Potters were quiet, to say the least. Pip seemed to sleep for three days straight after the excitement of Sirius, and Remus could certainly empathise. His parents, however, were a different story. </span>
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  <span>“Tell him he can come again anytime he wants, what a perfect house guest.”</span>
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  <span>Hope seemed charmed by Sirius’ absolute amazement at every muggle object ever. He’d left with several balls of wool and his own needles for his knitting, as well as a whole pack of biro pens that he had been writing Remus’ letters with. It was also due to Sirius’ extremely perfect table manners and innate ability to just do the right thing (like taking his shoes off in the porch or complimenting the exact method of cooking) that his mother probably would’ve swapped him for her own son without a second thought. Remus wasn’t even jealous, simply impressed, as this Sirius was a whole other person to The Hogwarts Sirius.</span>
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  <span>Even his dad, usually unimpressed with the behaviour of any and all teenagers, had taken to Sirius. He’d spent some afternoons on the driveway, showing him how the car's engine worked - not that Lyall himself knew much about it. When Sirius turned 17, Lyall had promised to give him driving lessons. He seemed to enjoy having someone around who was more interested in his tinkering than Remus, as Remus had long ago discovered that his practical skills left much to be envied and had endeavoured to stay away from any and all machines. It had struck Remus quite late that perhaps they were surprised Remus even had friends, let alone ones that were fully supportive of his furry little problem. Perhaps this was why his friends could do no wrong in their eyes.</span>
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<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He spent that evening packing up his trunk, even though it hadn’t fully been unpacked for Christmas. There were new socks, a bobble hat, ink pots and a fancy quill to be newly included in amongst his (according to Sirius) thousands of knit jumpers and corduroys. He then had to sort through which books he would be taking in for the next term, although his mother had promised to send him the others if he ran out. He did try to limit himself, as Hogwarts did have an entire library he had been slowly reading his way through over the past few years. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Have a lovely time, dear. I hope you have an excellent term. Give all your friends my best.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hope squeezed him tightly around the middle and then pulled back so that she could look up at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay safe, your father won’t admit it, but I think things are starting to get a bit darker in your world.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was true, and Remus was glad that his mother, as a muggle, was shielded from the worst of it. Lyall Lupin had been a quiet man for as long as Remus remembered, but the photo albums his mother kept showed that it had been a different story before Greyback had attacked Remus. Recently though, he’d been spending more and more time at the ministry- he would always shake his head sadly when Remus asked about what he had been doing, and Remus was far too cowardly to push any further on the topic. His father had already been gone before Remus came downstairs that morning, although he’d said good bye to Remus the night before and told him to take care. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You know how safe Hogwarts is, mum.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus pulled her back in for another hug</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And the Potters have dealt with James for the past sixteen years so I doubt I’ll be any harder for them.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you go enjoy yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Trunk in hand, Remus hunched himself up to fit in the fireplace. He despised the floo network, but his one experience with the knight bus had left him permanently traumatised, so this would have to do. The only hope was that apparition was a bit less nauseating, but he wasn’t counting on it. Trains and </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> buses looked like his future modes of transport- maybe even a car if he could afford it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As loud and as clear as he could manage, Remus called out the Potter's address. He had enough time to marvel at the bizarrity of floo travel - then he stepped out onto the Potter's hearth and just about managed to remain mindful enough to not smack his head. Sirius arose from an armchair and called out, which brought James into the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Did he do it?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus pulled a face at the pair - this wasn’t the greeting he’d expected.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Peter materialised and laughed,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You always manage to look all refined when you step out - they were betting on if you’d knock your head or summat.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a compliment really,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>James said, at the same time as Sirius reached him and gave him a pat on the back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyway, ignore them, welcome Moony!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We were about to go ice skating on the pond.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remus shook his head,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t have any skates.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Neither do we.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He snorted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go then.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The Potter's house elf, who was well fed looking and cheerful, took the handle of Remus’ trunk and disappeared out of the room with it. When he had first met the Potters many years ago, the thing that had struck him most about them was how busy they always were - they hustled and bustled and fussed and they didn’t ever seem to stop. Apparently this was a trait also possessed by their house elf. Remus’ own parents were cheerful by all means, but also quiet and thoughtful. He considered them perhaps the least overwhelming people he had ever met - it made sense, he supposed, that others seemed to feel the same way for him. Amongst the other differences, they also couldn’t afford a house elf, but Remus wasn’t thinking about that right now. Especially with Sirius practically dressing Remus in his scarf and hat and gloves with his rush to get out in the snow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ice skating turned out to be an incredibly dangerous activity, especially when James and Sirius were involved. They started off fairly tame, all trying to get their balance - and then when James saw that Remus had somehow (despite his gangly limbs) managed to perfect the technique of not falling on his ass, all hell broke loose. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You cannot push me over, I have a condition!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He appealed as they clumsily advanced on him, Peter kneeling on the ice a few feet behind them and pretending that he was absolutely just choosing to stay on the ice - he could get up at any time obviously.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“A condition, he says!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah well, if that is the case, dear Prongs, should we leave the man be?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter crowed from the back, and all Remus could do was yell a strangled cry as James and Sirius grabbed by each arm and lowered him not so gently onto the ice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Instead of letting that be it, though, Remus grabbed Sirius by the lapel and kicked out at James' boot, sending them both also onto the damp ice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ice cannot - </span>
  <em>
    <span>will not </span>
  </em>
  <span>defeat me-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius was scrabbling to get to his feet before the other two, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For I am of the noble house of Black.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Noble house of </span>
  <em>
    <span>ballsack</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>James had made his way to the bank and thrown a snowball at the halfway up Sirius, sending him back down as he attempted to dodge it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve been hit!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Came the cry from Peter, who was the next victim of James’ attack. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remus lay back on the ice, his asscheeks seemingly frozen and gone forever, and wondered if he’d ever been this happy before. He stared up at the heavy looking grey clouds that imminently threatened more snow until a curtain of dark hair and a grin blocked it off.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Moony I can’t stand up.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius was on all fours on the ice, and watched with much interest as Remus pushed himself up into a crab position in order to get his legs beneath him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh you poor soul, whatever will we do?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>James and Peter were yelling in the near distance, their attention having moved on to snowball fights.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t leave me here to </span>
  <em>
    <span>die </span>
  </em>
  <span>would you my dearest, sweetest Moony? A man can only take so much betrayal.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remus relents and holds his hands out, to which Sirius grips onto but gets up with such ease it was clear he’d never required the assistance.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, I wouldn’t want it to get to your head, Moonmoons, but you are looking incredibly handsome on this fine day. All rosy cheeked and happy.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If he had any blood left that wasn’t frozen, he would have definitely blushed. As it was he was left flustered and unsure on how to respond, short of kissing him right on the mouth. This was not a viable option anyway, as they both still stood precariously on the ice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You do flatter me, consider my head enlarged.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ice hockey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>James stated, suddenly appearing at the bank again, holding a small lump of ice and a stick. Remus could only sigh, especially as Peter handed him a stick too.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Much later on, the Marauders passed into the new year not as they had planned but most definitely as they intended to go on. Remus had never had his own firework display before, but apparently it was a Potter tradition. Anything could be a tradition, he supposed, if you had enough money and a lack of neighbours. Still aching with cold from earliers strenuous ice related activities, Remus had bundled himself up to the point his arms could not lay flat against his sides and instead made him look as if he were doing a rather comical impression of a penguin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Look- the Prewett brothers gave these to me and I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>that we weren’t to trust them after the last incident but-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But nothing!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius interrupted James’ pleading to Remus,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re gonna do the Prewetts fireworks and we’re going to get drunk and we’re going to enjoy it. Welcome the year in the right way, right Moony?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He groaned and put his head in his mittened hands,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They literally gave you guys bird feet the last time!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By this point, Remus knew when he was fighting a losing battle.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’ll be funny!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter pleaded weakly, earning him a quick glare from Remus.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I am going to sit here on this bench and I am going to watch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus took a hearty swig from the bottle and passed it to Sirius,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s play never have I ever - I’ll go first. Never have I ever pissed myself in public.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Snatching the bottle, Peter took a drink while the others chuckled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck you guys.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This is how they spent the evening, arguing and laughing around the fire pit while the sliver of a new moon climbed through the clear sky. When it came to lighting fireworks, James, Sirius and Peter made their way out onto the lawn to a distance from the house that Remus had deemed safe. He could barely see them, but their raucous laughter reassured him that they were still there. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Not wishing to have a random body part transfigured as a Prewett prank, he was happy to sit back - until his name was called.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you give us a hand lighting this?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remus checked his watch, they didn’t have long left now. He limped his way down the steps and onto the fresh snow of the lawn, revelling only slightly in the crunch of it beneath his feet and praying he didn’t hit an icy patch. The boys were knelt down by the end of the suspiciously long fuse, Peter clutching a pack of matches in one hand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re damp.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter sighed, looking as exasperated.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He started digging frantically in his coat pockets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh- maybe I’ve got-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing was ever easy, he decided as tried to find the lighter he knew he had in there somewhere.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve got this!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>James and Sirius looked quite confused by the yellow piece of plastic, but Peter crowed in triumph. They only had 30 seconds left, so Remus knelt down amongst them and clicked the lighter against the fuse, but the cold wind wiped it straight out. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Put your hands there- quick- not too close-“</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>With a little teamwork and perseverance, the fuse was lit and they stumbled back to watch the display. Remus checked his watch, as did Peter, and they all shouted together, into the darkness:</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then, the fireworks quite literally came to life.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius had already taken a running dive into Mrs Potter’s snow laden Rhododendron by the time the others had even processed what was going on. Frozen in the face of the bright light shaped as a fearsome dragon that was advancing on them at an alarming speed, James needed Peter to drag him out of the way. It rushed past them and then straight up, leaving scorch marks on the patio and singing the plants. One of these days, Remus thought when the panic subsided, they would listen to him when he cautioned them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon climbed higher and higher into the sky, roaring as it went, until it was barely visible, not much more than a comet. Then, the entire sky lit up gold, throwing everything into a temporary daylight - the boom hit them a moment later and Remus could’ve sworn the ground shook. There was a moment of heavy silence, in which he looked around and realised Sirius was covering his ears with his hands, his eyes squeezed shut.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>James started laughing maniacally, whooping as he ran to pull Sirius from where he was still hiding in the bush, and the fear of the moment was taken over by a pure zest for life. The four of them stood on the smoking patio and watched as the </span>
  <em>
    <span>ordinary </span>
  </em>
  <span>fireworks began, laughing breathlessly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remus maintained his high hopes for this year. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Library Activities and Uncomfortable Conversations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quidditch.</p>
<p>It was simply the bane of Remus’ life.</p>
<p>James and Sirius had an obsession with it, to put it mildly. Quidditch this, quidditch that. This year, however, it had only gotten worse, and the reason was made abundantly clear whenever you sat within a five mile range of the pair for more than a few minutes.</p>
<p>“You know, what with it being Angus’ last year and all I think I might just stand a chance at making captain.”</p>
<p>Remus nodded, and blearily watched as James pulled on his shoes. He assumed it was his shoes - the room was pitch black because after all, it was 6am in January. </p>
<p>There was a long inhale as Sirius awoke and muttered a quiet,<br/>“Lumos.”</p>
<p>Remus hissed in the sudden brightness and brought the heels of his hands up to massage his eyes. There was no apology.</p>
<p>“Thought you were gonna wake me up, Prongsie?”</p>
<p>“You were sleeping so soundly, I couldn’t bear to disturb you.”</p>
<p>Sirius scoffed and swung his legs out with far too much exuberance. For the hour he was already looking too put together, especially for someone with a hairband clinging on for dear life to the very ends of their hair. Remus watched as Sirius began pulling out quidditch robes from the chest and the band finally lost its battle. It fell onto its owner's foot, causing him to flinch as if it were a spider, pick it up and slide it onto his wrist. </p>
<p>James was watching Remus strangely. Remus realised he was smiling. In order to remain unsuspicious he flopped back onto his bed and stared up at the canopy where Peter had stuck a large picture of Madam Pince many moons ago and it was so deeply disturbing Remus simply left it there. In fact, he’d drawn a little heart in one corner and the whole thing had made James laugh so much he’d had to rush to the bathroom.</p>
<p>“See you at breakfast, Moony.”<br/>James and Sirius shuffled their way out not too quietly, slamming the door hard enough to make Peter’s whistley breathing stutter for a moment (this was a minor miracle) and he could hear them making their way down the stairs.</p>
<p>“I really think I have a chance at making Captain next year…”</p>
<p>“Knox.”<br/>Remus closed his eyes.</p>
<p>After spending breakfast with his friends, he decided he deserved some alone time on this bleary Saturday morning and made his way to the library. Lily was there too, sat amongst her friends that were quietly studying in the way he wished his three would. They waved at each other and Remus made his way quietly through, finding that his favourite alcove was free. He was wearing the dark green jumper that Sirius had made him and he wondered for perhaps the fiftieth time if it had been charmed because he was perfectly warm. Double checking there was no one around, he toed off his oxfords and made himself comfortable.</p>
<p>By the time he was interrupted, he had long grown tired of Arithmancy and his quill was starting to blot where he was gazing off into the distance. When he noticed this he tapped the spot clean with his wand and leant back against the wall. A quick glance at his watch informed him that he had missed lunch, and his stomach gurgled mournfully to confirm.</p>
<p>Sirius appeared quietly (he would’ve checked for poly juice if he weren’t so baffled) and beamed at Remus when he spotted him. They were in a corner towards the back so they didn’t have to worry too much about Pince getting upset about noise, but it was ingrained in them to whisper in the library. And anyway, according to the rest of the Marauders, she was deeply in love with Remus so would let him get away with anything. They wouldn’t listen to his reasoning - he respected the books and spoke quietly so she had no reason to despise him. It was all he ever heard about these days.</p>
<p>Without a word, Sirius took Remus’ notes and book and placed them on the table. He didn’t take off his bovver boots, but that wasn’t unusual, and he squeezed in opposite Remus. Years ago (before Madame Pince became librarian, as James was all but banned these days) all four marauders could near enough fit in the window seat. Now, here he was, staring at Sirius' meticulously kept eyebrows.</p>
<p>“You’re looking very soft today, Remus. Very sweet.”</p>
<p>If he spoke, his voice would most definitely break, so Remus leaned forward and kissed Sirius on the lips. If he was surprised he didn’t show it, and crowded forward to press Remus even further into the wall. Remus’ hands stuttered for a moment, torn between preventing him falling onto the floor and touching Sirius. It didn’t help his anxiety that they were in the library in the middle of the day. Finely boned hands were sneaking around the bottom of his own jumper before they smoothed up his bare back and made Remus shiver. They broke away from each other and Sirius pressed his head to Remus’ collarbone, laughing quietly.</p>
<p>“Your hands are cold!”<br/>He muttered defensively, before deciding to get revenge. Remus pulled Sirius’ stupid band T-shirt out from where it was tucked into his jeans and shoved both his hands up onto Sirius’ chest. </p>
<p>Releasing a very thinly veiled shriek, Sirius reared back and narrowly avoided smashing his head against the brick. Then, without so much as pausing, he grabbed Remus' hands in his own and they met in the middle for another kiss. Snog. Remus was snogging Sirius in the library. He very nearly had to pause and think about that for a moment. </p>
<p>Looking back, it must have been around this point that Lily had come looking for Remus and instead found out something she hadn’t meant to. At the time she simply turned around and returned to her friends, telling them that Remus had fallen asleep and that she didn’t want to wake him.</p>
<p>Remus was mortified into silence when Lily told him what she’d seen. </p>
<p>“I didn’t hang around, you didn’t want to be disturbed, obviously.”</p>
<p>He turned away to look at the portraits they were passing to stop himself gaping like a fish. </p>
<p>“Don’t tell anyone.”<br/>Remus finally settled on, it came out more dejected than threatening, thankfully.</p>
<p>Lily stopped, Remus a pace ahead of her paused too and turned to look at her.<br/>“I’m not- I don’t care if you’re gay, Remus.”</p>
<p>All of the fight he’d built up over the past few minutes left his body in a massive sigh and he felt close to tears.</p>
<p>“I do care though, that you chose Sirius Black of all people. That shows you’re not quite right.”<br/>Lily smiled and reached forward to link her arm in his.<br/>“We all know Barnes leans that way and he’s much less annoying than Sirius.”</p>
<p>Remus thought of Rufus Barnes as they continued to patrol the corridor for misbehaving students (they wouldn’t find them, because they were sneaking something out of the greenhouses as Remus and Lily spoke). He was in the year below them, also a gryffindor, but had never had much to do with the Marauders. In fact, Remus was not part of the ‘we’ Lily had mentioned that knew of Barnes’ leaning the other way. Perhaps he should make efforts to be more observant.</p>
<p>“I like Sirius.”<br/>Remus wondered if he’d finally be able to discuss relationships with Lily’s girl gang and then instantly changed his mind about it. </p>
<p>Lily only shrugged,<br/>“He is pretty.”</p>
<p>With his heart and other important organs only just returning to their correct places from his throat, he found himself nodding.<br/>“I suppose he is.”</p>
<p>Peter was the next to find out, but he did it completely on his own.</p>
<p>“Oi! Remus!”</p>
<p>He paused to let Peter catch up,<br/>“Hullo Wormtail.”</p>
<p>Peter winced, he still wasn’t a fan of his nickname.<br/>“Did you want to go for a walk? Before lunch? It’s very warm.”</p>
<p>“You’re not pranking me are you?”<br/>It was the first time Peter had ever willingly singled Remus out - he was far from flattered but his curiosity simply got the better of him.<br/>“Sure, then.”</p>
<p>They were halfway to the quidditch pitch when the conversation about the maps progress died out and they fell into an uneven silence. Remus was focusing on not taking such long strides so that Peter could keep up easier, they didn’t have much else to talk about really.</p>
<p>“So I’ve noticed, recently, that you and Sirius have been acting a bit… weird.”<br/>Peter stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away when Remus made eye contact.</p>
<p>For once in his life, he would play dumb. Just this once.<br/>“Weird? How?”</p>
<p>Peter seemed to have shrunk into his coat, his scarf up around his ears.<br/>“I don’t know, just, different.”</p>
<p>Not wanting to repeat himself, Remus stayed quiet. Peter would fill the silence by elaborating. He did.</p>
<p>“It’s like, he’s as bad as James with being all touchy feely now but only with you, he’s always watching you too.”<br/>Peter took a deep breath and the next statement came out almost in one long northern sounding word.<br/>“And you blush whenever he looks at you.”</p>
<p>“Oh.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“Well, we’ve been, um, more than friends since Christmas.”</p>
<p>“You shared a room at James’.”<br/>Peter said, his brow furrowed as if things were clicking together in his head now his suspicion had been confirmed.</p>
<p>They had separate rooms at James’, but as it had always been at Hogwarts, Sirius had come to Remus without a word. How Peter knew this he was not sure. He did not want to know either.</p>
<p>“Does James know?”</p>
<p>They had come to a stop now at the Quidditch pitch and were standing facing each other. Remus turned on his heel and began walking the way they came, letting Peter catch up before he carried on talking.</p>
<p>“No. I’m letting Sirius do that.”</p>
<p>An expression of glee crossed over Peter’s face, Remus wished he’d blinked and missed it. His friend's concern had been that he was the last to know, not anything else.</p>
<p>“Surely it’s a bit weird, because he’s your friend and all?”</p>
<p>Remus was suddenly weary of this conversation.<br/>“Not really. It is weird seeing him without James though.”</p>
<p>“Not quite attached at the hip anymore. Maybe they’re growing up.”</p>
<p>“Doubtful. Have you heard James talking about quidditch?”</p>
<p>Peter shoved his hands into his pockets and snorted,<br/>“You’d have to be deaf not to.”</p>
<p>“Almost makes me miss the football hooligans back home.”</p>
<p>“Innit, at least they’re not from Surrey.”<br/>Peter mock shuddered and the pair chuckled.</p>
<p>He hoped he would never talk about his relationship with Sirius to Peter again because he might not survive it.</p>
<p>They made it back to the great hall without further incidence, but when they approached their spot, something was amiss. Lily and her girl gang were sitting opposite James and Sirius, seemingly deep in conversation. </p>
<p>“Hey Pete, hey Moony.”</p>
<p>“I wish you wouldn’t call him that.”</p>
<p>“Pete?”</p>
<p>“There’s nothing wrong with Pete!”</p>
<p>“Yeah I’m fine.”</p>
<p>“Moony.”<br/>Marlene shook her head in fake exasperation.</p>
<p>“Please don’t ask why they gave me that nickname.”</p>
<p>“You’re very lovely Remus but we really don’t want to know what you get up to at weekends.”<br/>Mary said sweetly, and he ignored Lily who was making exaggerated eye movements between him and Sirius.</p>
<p>“You wouldn’t believe it - he’s absolutely wild, our Remus.”<br/>James said.</p>
<p>“Positively feral.”<br/>Peter added solemnly through a mouthful of cheese sandwich.</p>
<p>“Foaming at the mouth.”</p>
<p>“Barking mad.”</p>
<p>“No, Sirius, that’s you.”</p>
<p>“Eat your soup, old man.”</p>
<p>Remus threw up his middle finger at Sirius and continued to eat his soup. </p>
<p>Lily and co were in fact there to inform the boys that prefects were now having to include the greenhouses on their rounds, because something had gone missing during the night. With the disapproving look Lily had given him, Remus knew that she understood exactly what had occurred and who was responsible.</p>
<p>For a few days after this Lily treated Remus with a seemingly cold indifference- she wasn’t downright rude but he got the feeling that she was seeing him as a Marauder now. Knowing her well enough meant he was certain she wouldn’t spread his and Sirius’ relationship to the rest of the Hogwarts population, but spending too much time with James had given him a warped sense of what would require retaliation from someone else.</p>
<p>“Anyway, enough of that,”<br/>James slammed his palms on the table, interrupting Remus thoughts,<br/>“It’s Hogsmeade this weekend, Lily, go with me?”</p>
<p>“Not a chance.”</p>
<p>And with impressive unison, the four of them were up and gone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Absolutely No Arson and Castle Tours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“We’ve been over this, Robert, you know you’re not allowed to levitate other students - even just attempting to-“</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Remus.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not now Sirius. Don’t let me catch you doing anything bad again, Robert.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He raised his hand to point his finger at Robert, then remembered that Sirius was watching in and quickly halted the gesture.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sirius was craning his neck and Remus was trying his best to ignore him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Snivellus! Have you tried washing your face?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll let you get away with it this time - but for both our sakes don’t tell Lily.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can go now, buddy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius made a shooing motion with his hands to the second year, who wasted no time in hurrying off. He then grabbed Remus by the elbow and pulled him in the opposite direction to where Remus was heading.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I really can’t be late for transfiguration again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah but you also don’t want to be near the scene of the crime. Or scenes, I suppose.They’re heading this way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Crime</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The casual kind, do </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> look at me as if I’ve committed genocide.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius turned to check Remus’ expression, not pausing his hurrying or releasing Remus’ arm from his grip,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What counts as a casual crime, Sirius?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Er, arson?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Arson</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’d made it to an empty classroom and Remus let himself be dragged inside before Sirius let go. He perched on a desk and watched as his companion put his bovver boot onto one of the untucked chairs to tighten his shoelaces. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Sirius stayed quiet, Remus tried again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you have not actually committed any acts of arson?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sirius pulled a face as if Remus was the one being stupid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Arson is just </span>
  <em>
    <span>uncivilised</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So what you have done is a very sophisticated prank, then?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We managed to get Snape with the bubotuber pus we got from the greenhouse. And Mulciber. And y’know, the other annoying ones.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That was planned for </span>
  <em>
    <span>after</span>
  </em>
  <span> the moon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus rubbed his brow and prayed he would get to his lesson at some point today. He also prayed that having cloaked Marauders wiping plant pus on their faces during the night would give him the night free of Slytherins.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look at us, Moony, talking about what pranks may or may not have been committed. We’re all alone, just you and me, in this classroom. All alone. Just us. In an empty classroom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was making his way over, grinning at Remus who was trying his utmost best to not let the smile slip onto his face. As Sirius came to a stop between Remus’ knees, his resolve broke and he reached up to gently tuck a long black strand of hair behind his ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are very handsome, Mister Lupin, it would be a crying shame if you didn’t kiss me right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It's funny you say that, Mr Padfoot, it’s almost as if you’re trying to change the subject.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pressed their foreheads together and used the hand which wasn’t holding Sirius’ hip to trace his sharp facial features. He pressed a few soft kisses to Remus’ lips before wrapping his arms over his shoulders so that they were properly fitted together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>All of a sudden the door burst open and in flew James, hair and glasses as askew as ever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hurry up you two, come on, we’re late.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stuck his head back out the door which provided Remus a few seconds to gather himself, then the trio were bustling out of the room into the corridor which was still brimming with students on their way to lessons. They made no effort to blend in and acted in the standard Marauder fashion, unafraid of the consequences that their pranking may bring. James threw his head back and laughed at something Sirius had said, walking in the confident and self assured way that seemed to come hand in hand with a comfortable childhood. Sirius was similar, to an extent, but he was far for more haughty and uptight looking - the type who would look down their nose at you. Remus himself lagged slightly behind, burdened with his satchel full of books and a perpetual limp. He had long since mastered blending in behind Sirius and James, despite being far taller in his shabby robes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Peter joined them as they rounded a corner, face flushed with excitement as he squeezed his way between Sirius and James and began to babble on about their success. Walking three abreast in the corridors left little room for other students, who sent the group many a dirty look. They didn’t pay them any mind though, and Remus wished he could be so carefree.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I wish I could say I expected better of all of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mcgonagall did not even pause her writing on the board to look at them as they seated themselves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, I’m sure your classmates will endeavour to update you on what you missed, today we are learning about animagi.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James barely concealed a snort while Sirius and Peter beamed up at their teacher,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we’ll be okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Remus had to duck his head to cover up his own grin, pretending to be writing out the title to his notes. When he looked back up he made eye contact with Lily, her flaming hair tied back in a loose ponytail, and she raised her eyebrows in an expression that showed just how unimpressed she was. Sirius noticed this and leant forward to give her a thumbs up, which she didn’t return and instead made a show of paying attention as Mcgonagall continued her lesson.   </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Snape didn’t turn up to dinner that night, or breakfast the next morning, and Remus was offered a brief reprieve from his least favourite follower. They were in Potions with Slughorn, the last lesson before dinner, when they next saw him. Sirius and James turned around in their seats to snicker at him, receiving many a glare from Lily. Remus could only imagine what Severus’ face looked like - he only got a fleeting glimpse at the end of the lesson when the Slytherin was the first to pack up his stuff and leave. Deep down he felt bad, but mostly he was disappointed that his little bit of peace had come to an end. Without Snape attracting the rest of the worst of his house, he’d only been called a poof once by Avery and even that was only in passing. Avery seemed to have come out unscathed, but Remus hoped he would not be so lucky the next time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rest of the little Slytherin gang had come up in vicious pimples, large and violently red. It didn’t do anything to warn them off though, and instead Mulciber and Avery confronted the four that evening. With the approach of the full moon, Remus’ temper was already frayed and he was concentrating so hard on putting one foot in front of the other that he failed to notice James had stopped in his tracks, and rammed right into the back of him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You really think you’re clever, Potter?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James made an exaggerated show of thinking, then without real pause said,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, actually.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Avery scowled, Remus wasn’t sure what other answer he had really expected from James.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ve got places to be, ladies, get out the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius said loudly, starting forward as if to shove past them. The Slytherins drew their wands faster, but the Marauders had the benefit of numbers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Sectumsempra</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Protego</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius flicked his wand seemingly casually,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you really using Snivellus’ tricks in his absence? Embarrassing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Avery went to try again, but they were prepared this time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mimblewimble.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter hit Mulciber with the tongue tie spell a moment before James sent him flying backwards down the corridor.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius and then Remus ducked what appeared to be another of Snape’s inventions, before Avery finally managed to land a spell and hit James with </span>
  <em>
    <span>flippendo. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a momentary pause before the victim groaned loudly about his broken glasses, and the fight continued.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Locomotor mortis.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Expelliarmus.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Avery stood stock still and unable to move, while Remus’ wand had gone flying off in James’ direction when Snape rounded the corner, his face still blotchy and sore.</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>Retrieving his wand meant he had no choice but to leave Sirius and Peter with the Slytherins, but Remus managed to mutter a quick repairing spell for James’ glasses. When they got back, Peter was fighting off a small flock of bats and they caught Snape receiving a </span><em><span>petrificus</span></em> <em><span>totalus </span></em><span>from the still cool and collected Sirius. </span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Finite incantatem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius sighed and the bats disappeared, leaving a red faced and out of breath Peter.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have a nice evening, gents.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James saluted their opponents and walked on by. Remus pretended he didn’t notice the subtle flick of a wand and muttered word that made Avery’s previously unblemished face break out in boils- he matched his friends now, anyway.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>James!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lily called out and they all turned, her hair and eyes were ablaze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you thinking?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t stress, Evans, it was self defence.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and shifting so that his weight was on one leg. He truly couldn’t have cared less.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily got to Snape last and he didn’t so much as acknowledge her as he followed after his hastily retreating housemates, but he did find time to mutter venomously at the Marauders,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll find a way to get you expelled, you won’t be laughing </span>
  <em>
    <span>then</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Especially you, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Black</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he was gone, robes billowing out behind him and his worn down shoes not making a sound on the stone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Look what he did to Peter!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius exclaimed, and James crowded in to do his motherly duties. Peter’s ears were scratched and bleeding from the bats - he hadn’t even noticed, and was awkward under the weight of attention.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily was looking uncomfortable now, unsure whether to stay or leave.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Avery tried to get Pads with sectumsempra, that one that scratches you open.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter said quietly, looking even more scared in the face of Sirius’ calm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Episky.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James tucked his wand away and slung his arm around Peter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Petey boy. I saw that tongue tie- that was a good one!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus nodded along, his hands stuffed in his pockets as the five began their journey to Gryffindor tower.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sirius was throwing glances in Lily’s direction, as if wanting to say something. Most likely he was worried about upsetting James, so Remus decided he’d speak up instead.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can’t let them get away with it, Lily, I think you understand.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not stupid.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James’ brow was furrowed, he had slowed down to walk alongside them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We know. The others need to see that they’re just stuck up pricks, they’re not any better than the rest of us. They confunded Peter the other day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And Snape just randomly stalks Remus.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius said quietly, suddenly deep in thought and walking as close to Remus as was physically possible,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not hard though, all you do is go to the library. I’d get bored. No offence, Moons.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“None taken. I like taking him on tours of the castle sometimes. Show him the scenery. We go down to quidditch pitch or the willow, laps of the lake. He seems to enjoy it. Sunshine is good for your health.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Lily snorted, and the group seemed to cheer up minutely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that why I saw you running through one of the tunnels on the ma-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peter squeaked as James prodded him, and quickly sorted his story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I saw you run out of one of the tunnels last week.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Escaped him for a good few hours that day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus nodded, concentrating far too hard on not acknowledging Sirius’ hand brushing his leg as they walked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just wish you guys would, I don’t know, tell Mcgonagall when they did something,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lily said as they were parting ways in the common room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>James hummed,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not snitches.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes and headed up the stairs to the girls dormitory, leaving the Marauders to exchange conspiring smiles. They all knew that sometimes, detention was not enough.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Prank That Was Not Funny To Anyone and Some Coming Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had all been going a bit wrong for a while now, but with OWLs looming and the amount of homework increasing, no one seemed too bothered.</p><p> </p><p>James and Sirius would go out of their way to hex Snape now, in a way so vicious it made even Peter uncomfortable sometimes. This wasn’t to say Snape didn’t ever start anything, and Remus had been convinced he’d killed James at one point with that savage <em> sectumsempra </em>of his own invention. Watching Snape turn away with his chin held high in the air while James lay gasping and bleeding through his clothes was the point at which Remus realised it had all gone too far. </p><p> </p><p>This was not to mention the fact that Severus had started obsessively following Remus rather than just the weekends and had once stated that he would find out where Remus went no matter how long it took him. It got to the point where he would check the scrappy looking map before he dared leave the common room, in case Severus just so happened to be loitering by the portrait like he so often was. He supposed Severus despised him as an extension of James and Sirius because Remus had never outright done anything to Severus, and was often the one who stopped things getting too far. </p><p> </p><p>Lily, Mary and even Marlene were doing the opposite and avoiding them, which wasn’t particularly new since the greenhouse incident, but now they seemed to clam up whenever Remus attempted to join their studying. They never outright told him to leave, but in the end he stopped bothering as the awkward glances they exchanged made him uncomfortable. </p><p> </p><p>So really, he should’ve foretold some kind of catastrophic event. </p><p> </p><p>When he woke from the February full moon on a Monday morning and found himself alone, he knew something had happened. He hadn’t spent many moons accompanied by the animagi, but he’d been through enough to know that he was never this banged up. Panic rose up in him as he pulled his clothes and wand from the locked cupboard that was secured to the wall, trying to ignore a large lump of flesh that had been partly torn from his forearm. He was on the edge of the bed in his underpants and a T-shirt when Madam Pomfrey bustled in.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh my dear…”</p><p>With her thumbs she wiped away the tears that he hadn’t managed to keep back, and knelt on the floor to heal the worst of his wounds before they made the trip back to the castle. </p><p> </p><p>Remus knew the tears would start free flowing if he spoke, so he kept quiet and turned away to let her pull the splinters from his hands then magic away the blood that coated him head to toe.</p><p> </p><p>They walked in silence up to the castle, her hand at his elbow and he thought of what a wonderful person Pomfrey was to take care of something as dangerous as he. It was drizzling outside, the kind of misty rain that Scotland seemed to have every other day that soaked you right through without you even realising. The urge to cry and ask her what had happened last night was sitting in his diaphragm and threatening to climb up to his throat as she sat him on the edge of a hospital bed which may as well have his name on a plaque above it.</p><p> </p><p>“Drink this, Remus,”</p><p>He did it without question, the thick healing potion went down better if he didn’t think about it too much,</p><p>“Dumbledore will be down to talk to you soon, something happened last night.”</p><p> </p><p>Had he bitten someone? The fear seemed to show on his already pale face because Pomfrey perched herself next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.</p><p>“Nobody was injured, my dear, goodness no. Just a horrible misunderstanding.”</p><p> </p><p>It was a heart stopping thing to hear, to know that he would be being expelled, that his secret had been exposed. Really he should’ve seen it coming, what with him being a dark creature, he was lucky to have come this far. At least no one had been injured in the process.</p><p> </p><p>He was left alone for a little while after that, or for enough time to read the Daily Prophet (there were no <em> Werewolf At Hogwarts </em>related articles thankfully) that had been left on his bedside cabinet anyway, before Peter arrived. He pulled the cloak off but left it around his shoulders in case Pomfrey returned, and Remus cast a silencing spell. Talking to someone who wasn’t there wasn’t something he wanted her to be writing on her clipboard. </p><p> </p><p>“What happened? Where are the others?”</p><p> </p><p>Peter was pale and looked as if he’d had no sleep. It was unlike him to ever be up this early, especially after a full moon. </p><p>“James and Sirius are with Dumbledore. Well, I don’t know the full story- but- I think-“</p><p> </p><p>He wished Peter would spit it out.</p><p> </p><p>“Sirius told Si-Snape how to get into the willow.”</p><p>Peter quite literally spat out in one word, taking a deep breath but not pausing to let Remus get a word in.</p><p>“James got to him before he opened the hatch.”</p><p> </p><p>It took him a few minutes to process this, and he went through several emotions before he settled on plain despair.</p><p>“Nobody got hurt in any way?”</p><p> </p><p>“No.”</p><p>Peter shook his head reverently, looking close to tears.</p><p> </p><p>“But Snape knows now.”</p><p> </p><p>“He had his suspicions before that’s why he’d follow-“</p><p> </p><p>“But he knows <em> for sure </em> that it’s me, now?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly there were voices and Peter had enough time to dive under the bed and cover himself in the cloak before Dumbledore was peeking his head through the curtains before stepping through.</p><p> </p><p>“Mr Lupin? Are you feeling quite well enough to walk with me to my office?”</p><p> </p><p>He was not feeling quite well enough, no. </p><p>“Yes, headmaster,”</p><p>And he pulled on his jacket, double checked his shoelaces and stood up.</p><p> </p><p>“Where are you taking him, Albus? He needs to rest, I don’t care what happened.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mr Lupin says he feels well enough.”</p><p> </p><p>“Mr Lupin-“</p><p>She said with raised eyebrows,</p><p>“Needs to learn how to rest.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Poppy. I will see you later.”</p><p>Dumbledore smiled serenely as he dismissed her.</p><p> </p><p>“Goodbye Albus, take care of yourself, Remus.”</p><p> </p><p>They walked in silence, Remus near tears again until he heard the scuffle of trainers and remembered Peter. Then, he had to fight back a snort. </p><p> </p><p>Poor Peter must have been abandoned outside because the door shut rather violently the moment after Remus’ had crossed the threshold. He didn’t get to dwell on this though, as the room was already occupied. Snape, Sirius and James all turned to look at them but didn’t say a word. McGonagall gave him a weak smile and bid him good morning. The empty seat was drawn up next to James, who seemed to be vibrating with fury. </p><p> </p><p>“I think this story is best told from the people that were there, Remus, you’ll forgive us for wanting to get this over and done with. Go ahead, Mr Black.”</p><p> </p><p>He knew without looking that being called this would make Sirius cringe. Remus stared resolutely forward at the intricate carving of Dumbledore’s desk.</p><p> </p><p>“I was leaving lesson to go get changed so that we could see you, Remus, before you went down to the shack. Like we always do.”</p><p>He didn’t add that they would then follow him down when Pomfrey had left.</p><p>“And Snape asked why I was in a rush. Places to be, people to see, I told him. Told me he knew what I was up to, going down to the willow once a month with Remus.”</p><p>Sirius took pause now, tucking his hair behind his ears and sinking down into his seat. </p><p>“I said that he couldn’t know, but if he was stupid enough he could go poke around at the willow for a bit. That was what I said. I went up to the dorms and was waiting for James, he came in and asked what I’d told Snape. We went to go find him, to tell him to leave it all alone, but we couldn’t find him. It was dark by then, we’d missed Remus, but we went out to see if Snape’d gone to the willow. That’s where Peter found us. James told him to go find McGonagall because we thought he must have been in the tunnel by then.”</p><p>He seemed unable to go on, but James picked up without being told to. </p><p> </p><p>“We ran down to the willow but couldn’t get to the knot, Sirius managed to get there eventually, but got smacked in the process.”</p><p>This explained the state of Sirius, he supposed.</p><p>“I left him outside and ran down the tunnel - Snape was at the end, by the trapdoor and well, Remus, you were scratching and howling on the other side - you could smell us I guess. I pulled Snape down the steps before he could open the door and he tried to hex me but I managed to get him out, get him away. McGonagall had just arrived with Peter, and Sirius just- well I punched him in the nose. That was it.”</p><p> </p><p>“What did Severus say to you before you arrived at the dorm, James?”</p><p> </p><p>“He passed me in the corridor, I’d missed potions because someone had let pixies loose in the Gryffindor changing room and they ransacked the place, really went for it- anyway, he said that he knew what Remus was up to at the willow every month, that Sirius had told him. That we were going to get expelled for it. I didn’t think it was true, but it worried me.”</p><p> </p><p>Severus, who had been receiving glares as he tried to interrupt every now and then, was asked to tell his side of the story.</p><p>“Black shoved me as I was leaving Potions, then he said that I ought to go to the willow tonight, that if I threw a rock at the knot there was a tunnel. So I did. I never saw James in the corridor and I’d had my suspicions about Lupin, but I thought it was just an elaborate prank. I didn’t think you’d actually keep a <em>dark</em> <em>creature</em> near students. I didn’t think they actually wanted to kill me.”</p><p> </p><p>James’ hands had long since curled into fists and at this last sentence he flinched forward as if to cross the room and thump Severus. He didn’t, though, and Remus returned to staring forward.</p><p> </p><p>Severus continued,</p><p>“Potter chickened out last minute and dragged me down, he did threaten to kill me as we left the tunnel.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, now we’ve heard the story from all sides.”</p><p> </p><p>They hadn’t heard Peter’s side of the story, Peter always seemed to hear everything, Remus thought absently. He was so tired, so exhausted. He only wanted to go to bed. Everything ached.</p><p> </p><p>“Black will step down from his position in the quidditch team and will spend that time helping Filch maintain the castle.”</p><p>Out of the corner of his eye he could see Sirius nodding dejectedly. McGonagall continued,</p><p>“Next year, James, you will be made captain of the quidditch team. You showed real bravery and leadership last night.”</p><p> </p><p>Severus scoffed at this, and glared as James and Sirius were dismissed. This left only Severus and Remus.</p><p> </p><p>Dumbledore, who hadn’t spoken much and had spent most of the time staring peacefully at each of the boys, was now looking at Severus,</p><p>“You must understand that Mr Lupin’s condition is a matter of utmost secrecy, Mr Snape. It cannot be revealed to the rest of the student body without causing mass panic and the risk to Mr Lupin is far too high.”</p><p> </p><p>“He tried to <em> kill </em>me!”</p><p>Severus was sitting at the edge of his seat.</p><p> </p><p>“May I remind you, Severus, that you did in fact go looking for him. I have it on good authority that you’ve been following Lupin around the castle these past few weeks, which must have been rather uncomfortable.”</p><p> </p><p>That was an understatement, Remus thought, as Snape struggled to defend himself.</p><p> </p><p>“You two are dismissed, I expect to see you both in lessons this morning. Remember that these are dark times and we must stick together.”</p><p> </p><p>They walked out in silence and Remus was relieved that his friends hadn’t waited for him. </p><p>“It means a lot to me, Severus, this school.”</p><p> </p><p>Severus slowed down to walk beside the limping Remus, but didn’t look at him.</p><p>“I understand how that feels. Your friends tried to kill me, though. You’re a dangerous thing, a dark creature. You shouldn’t be amongst students.”</p><p> </p><p>They parted ways on the staircase, bidding eachother a quiet goodbye without pausing in their steps. Students were starting to make their way to breakfast, but Remus headed up and Severus headed down, both against the flow of students.</p><p> </p><p>He poured himself a cup of tea in the common room before making his way up to the dorm. James and Peter were standing talking, already dressed in their robes with their bags full of books ready for lessons. The bathroom was locked, so he assumed Sirius had shut himself in. Or perhaps James had locked him in- he’d seemed angry enough. Either way, Remus smiled weakly at them. Then he set about dressing himself, which he would usually do in the bathroom but with it already engaged, he drew the curtain halfway across his bed so that they couldn’t see him.</p><p> </p><p>“You better be getting into pyjamas, Remus. If you come from behind those curtains in your robes we will be having a problem Mr Lupin.”</p><p> </p><p>“People saw us leaving Dumbledore’s office, if I don’t go to lessons they’ll talk.”</p><p> </p><p>He could imagine James’ pursed lips without having to look around the curtain. Remus paused to take a scorching gulp of tea, it was exactly what he needed to settle the ache in his jaw. </p><p> </p><p>After further argument, they left the dorm and Remus was escorted to transfiguration, Peter to his left and James to his right. It had taken him putting his foot down for them to allow him to carry his own bag.</p><p> </p><p>McGonagall caught sight of him and shook her head admonishingly, but said nothing. He was sandwiched between James and Peter again, but Sirius’ seat remained empty for the lesson. For the rest of the day, in fact. The only time he was alone was in Arithmetic and even then James walked him there. After he spent the majority of the lesson fighting the urge to succumb to sleep, the Ravenclaw boy who Remus sat next to, Hakizimana, tapped his parchment and then Remus’ without a word. His notes appeared on Remus’ nearly blank parchment. If he was still being treated with kindness, then Snape must have kept last night to himself. </p><p> </p><p>“Come on, Kizi.”</p><p>His friends called him away, and he smiled kindly at Remus.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>He wasn’t sure if it was audible over the din, he hoped it had been.</p><p> </p><p>Sirius was absent from dinner as well. James was poking his dinner dejectedly and Peter was maintaining sullen conversation with Frank about something herbology related. Remus himself was barely hungry and only wanted to go to bed, which is what he told James. He also heavily refused an escort.</p><p> </p><p>“Oi, Remus.”</p><p>Marlene appeared beside him as he reached the staircase,</p><p>“Everything okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“Peachy.”</p><p>He adjusted his satchel and waited for the stairs to reach him, wishing she’d chosen any other time to chat. </p><p> </p><p>“You look shattered. Well and truly knackered.”</p><p> </p><p>“Like I said, peachy.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I just wanted to say that I miss your contribution to our little library seshes.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus mustered the energy to squint at her,</p><p>“You all go weird as soon as I get there, though.”</p><p> </p><p>She only shrugged, not offering up a reason or solution. </p><p>“Sirius is in the astronomy tower, I don’t know what kinda trouble he got you all in, but you know what he’s like. He’s moping all over the place, like a Victorian maiden or something. Shame about the quidditch, though.”</p><p> </p><p>When they reached the common room, Remus felt as though she wasn’t done talking. He perched himself on the arm of the sofa while she sat heavily in the armchair beside him.</p><p> </p><p>“Is everything okay, Marlene?”</p><p> </p><p>“Peachy. All peachy. Just been slowly telling my friends that, well, I had a bit of a revelation over Christmas and New Years.”</p><p>She was picking at her black painted nails, then looked directly up at him.</p><p>“Remus I’m a lesbian.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, um-“</p><p> </p><p>“Mary thought you might have a crush on me, so sorry for that. You’re probably very attractive in the whole academic sense but yeah, not to me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Crush? No.”</p><p>Remus rubbed his eyes so that he wouldn’t have to look at her,</p><p>“Marlene, I’m gay too.”</p><p> </p><p>Marlene barked a laugh and threw herself back against the chair, arms akimbo.</p><p>“Lily knows! Doesn’t she! It all makes so much sense now.”</p><p> </p><p>Now, Remus was exhausted and confused.</p><p>“She does…”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, she kept saying ‘I’m sure he doesn’t have a crush on you’ and we thought maybe <em> she </em> fancied <em> you. </em>”</p><p> </p><p>“James would just murder me, I’m sure.”</p><p> </p><p>She snorted at that, told him she had homework to do and disappeared up the stairs. Of course it was at this point Sirius appeared, his hair up in a messy bun and looking punk rock as ever.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey Pads.”</p><p> </p><p>Sirius was frozen still, in the way James would go when confronted with bright light. </p><p>“Remus- I just wanted to say- I know it’s not worth anything now it’s done but I truly didn’t mean it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know. But it’s done.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>Remus nodded, standing on achy legs and leading the way up to the dorm.</p><p>“Where have you been?”</p><p> </p><p>“The unplottable room, library, etcetera etcetera.”</p><p> </p><p>They sat beside each other on Sirius’ bed, looking for all the world like the awkward teens they were.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you angry?”</p><p> </p><p>“No, James is angry enough for everyone.”</p><p>Remus leant gently against Sirius,</p><p>“Nobody got hurt. Well, you did, but-“</p><p> </p><p>“Why aren’t you angry?”</p><p> </p><p>“You want me to be angry?”</p><p> </p><p>“No but… we both know what happens to werewolves that bite and it would have been all my fault and Snape gets to you enough already-“</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes Remus wondered if violence and anger were the only things that made sense to Sirius, and he let this colour the way he responded.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ve been kicked off the team and you’re getting detention every other day. Also James punched your perfect nose. You’ve had your punishment.”</p><p> </p><p>“Pomfrey fixed it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I can tell, it’s perfect.”</p><p>Remus shouldered him gently, but Sirius was so sullen he simply sagged slightly to the side and had to put a hand out to support himself.</p><p>“I’m gonna go to bed, but, tomorrow you’ll get up and go with James to the quidditch pitch and congratulate him. He’ll come round.”</p><p> </p><p>“I feel so rotten, Moony.”</p><p> </p><p>“My mum would say it’s good for personal development.”</p><p>Remus left him sitting on the bed, and when he came back from his shower the curtains around Sirius’ bed were drawn tight. </p><p> </p><p>As he was settling in to read for a bit, James and Peter arrived. The former pointed at Sirius’ bed, then Remus, then gave a thumbs up paired with a questioning expression. Remus returned the thumbs up. </p><p> </p><p>It was the quietest night this dorm had ever seen.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello all, <br/>I never know what to write in these notes, so I usually don't. <br/>Thank you for the comments and kudos. <br/>I apologise for mistakes as I write this during my breaks at work (so that I don't have to interact with my coworkers) so the research is minimal.<br/>Anyway, I hope you're all well!<br/>OT</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. A Flashback and Some Making Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next week was full of awkward greetings and stilted interactions between the Marauders. Remus threw himself headfirst into studying and simultaneously avoiding Snape, while Sirius sullenly followed James to quidditch practice only to sit with Peter in the stands. From the sounds of it, his detentions with Filch were torturous at best, but he would never dare complain.</p>
<p>It was abundantly clear to the student population that divides had risen between the Marauders, and they were the subject of many a hushed conversation. The production of the map had also come to a standstill and it now lay on Peter’s unused desk, looking sad and fluttering whenever the dormitory doors opened. Sirius was quiet, most evenings he would smile at Remus and then find some way of avoiding talking to him. In a somewhat bizarre turn of events, Peter did the opposite. He had never been quite so outspoken and stepped up to the space by James’ side that Sirius usually filled with concerning ease. Unfortunately, he did not have Sirius’ knack for quick thinking, and the pair spent almost as much time in detention as Sirius did.</p>
<p>On a brisk late February morning, Remus bundled himself up in his coat, hat, scarf, mittens and warmest jumper, and made his way down to the lake. The Marauders needed time to fall back together, but there was one friendship he could recover. Lily was the first friend he’d made at Hogwarts (although technically it was before) as they clambered onto the train.</p>
<p>“Are we allowed to sit anywhere?”<br/>She’d asked, already dressed in her robes and with her hair in perfectly neat pigtails.</p>
<p>Remus, whose stomach had been simultaneously doing cartwheels and knotting up, had checked she was talking to him before he replied,<br/>“I think so.”</p>
<p>Seeing that he was also unsure actually seemed to cheer her up, and they bundled into the first nearly empty compartment they came across, still talking about the books from their reading lists. The train was packed with students walking up and down, laughing and greeting each other loudly. After coming from rural Wales, Remus had been a little out of his depth and unfortunately, Lily had thrown him out of the frying pan and into the fire.</p>
<p>“I’m James Potter.”</p>
<p>“I’m Lily, this is Remus.”<br/>He must have looked at her funny, because she hurriedly added on,<br/>“It’s on your trunk!”</p>
<p>“So, what house do you want to be in?”<br/>James was sitting on his hands and leaning forward, speaking incredibly fast in his well pronounced South-Eastern accent. Remus was terrified, but this boy was excited. He had a long face and rectangular glasses that were too big for his face, with black hair that Remus’ own mother would describe as looking as if he’d ‘been dragged through a hedge backwards’.</p>
<p>“Slytherin.”<br/>Lily said with no real hesitation, pleased that she had been able to answer the question. This did not last for long though, as James’ face soured.</p>
<p>“Slytherin? Why on earth would you want to be in Slytherin?”</p>
<p>An expression of shock flickered over her features before she could answer,<br/>“I’ve got a friend who wants to be in Slytherin and he is so much nicer than you, Potter.”</p>
<p>Remus himself was praying for Ravenclaw or maybe Hufflepuff, but even he knew the types that came out of Slytherin. He sat quietly and prayed they wouldn’t involve him - these were the days before he carried a book in his pocket at all times.</p>
<p>“I’m going to be in Gryffindor, because I’m brave, not sneaky and-”</p>
<p>“Hello Lily.”<br/>A peaky looking boy arrived at the compartment door, he had a large nose and hair that was just a little too long and greasy looking. Lily’s friend was wearing robes that Remus recognised as hand me downs, only because his were the same. However, her friend did not seem very impressed by Remus and gave him a faint sneer. He still wondered to this day what had set Snape against them, and doubted if even he knew.</p>
<p>“Oh Sev, I couldn’t find you. Let’s go find someplace else.”<br/>And then Lily was gone, and Remus didn't see her again until she sent him a sullen smile after he sat down at the Gryffindor table (next to a brooding Sirius Black, as it happens).</p>
<p>She gave him this same sullen smile when she noticed him approaching her on this morning in February 1976. The cold didn’t bother her as much as it did Remus, and he planted himself at the other end of the bench, frozen from the inside out.</p>
<p>“Listen, Remus, I’m sor-”</p>
<p>“I just wanted to apolo-”</p>
<p>They both spoke at the same time and then paused, waiting for the other to continue. When neither of them did, they burst out laughing.</p>
<p>“You go first.”<br/>Lily managed to get out, dog earing her book and placing it in her lap.</p>
<p>“I wanted to apologise, for that night with the greenhouses. I know you wouldn’t have grassed on us but…”</p>
<p>“It’s so silly, we’re so silly Remus.”</p>
<p>Personally, he didn’t think he himself was very silly, but he nodded along anyway. He liked to think he was quite mature.</p>
<p>She continued,<br/>“I just thought you were honest with me.”</p>
<p>Remus thought of how he’d lied for the past five years about going to visit his sick mother once a month, and about his furry little problem that the Marauders joked about often.</p>
<p>“You’re gonna get wrinkles.”<br/>She stated fondly, reaching out a hand to poke his cheek.<br/>“We’re friends, you numpty. Of course we’re friends.”</p>
<p>“I haven’t been completely honest with you, Lils.”<br/>He said, looking down at the scarred hands in his lap.</p>
<p>“Has it got something to do with the way the rest of your crew are acting?”<br/>She didn’t sound angry, or suspicious. Perhaps she could tell the toll that this something had taken on the Marauders. Lily sounded concerned, he finally figured.</p>
<p>Remus had to remind himself that she already knew he was gay - knowing that he was a werewolf shouldn’t have been than big of a deal. Except, he remembered very vividly his father clasping him by the shoulders and telling him: <br/>“The more people that know, the more people that could tell.”</p>
<p>This was Lily, though. Lily who had shown him nothing but care for the past few years. In fact, he owed her this.</p>
<p>“I’ve got lycanthropy, Lily. Have done since I was five. I’m a werewolf.”</p>
<p>She was on her feet in an instant, eyes ablaze.<br/>“Tell me that’s not why they’re acting weird, I swear to god I’ll-“</p>
<p>“Of course not,”<br/>He said quietly, and she sat back down - closer to him, this time.<br/>“Sirius told Severus how to get to the shack, where I go. For the moons. James got him in time but, well, Severus knows now.”</p>
<p>“The shrieking shack.”<br/>All the colour had drained from her face and she reached out to pull him into her arms.<br/>“Sirius? Sirius told him?”</p>
<p>“You know how he is, impulsive.”</p>
<p>“You’re allowed to be angry, Remus.”</p>
<p>He was, he was angry. In fact, Remus had felt close to boiling over a lot recently and secretly found himself hoping that Snape or one of the Slytherin cronies would try to hex him so that he could take out some of the endless anger. But the person most at fault was Greyback, and he unfortunately couldn’t blame Mulciber for that. </p>
<p>“I missed you, Lily.”<br/>He said, surrounded by the smell of her shampoo, and then began to cry.<br/>“They really call it the shrieking shack?”</p>
<p>“Oh Remus, I overheard it once, months ago. Nobody calls it that, it’s silly.”</p>
<p>They stayed like that for a long time, and Remus was glad to have Lily as a friend.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Sirius' Deer Betrothed and A Completed Map</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time marched on and they were firmly into March when Peter was hexed in the corridor and left unable to remember who had caused him to repeatedly and violently sneeze out fruit flies. Sirius had never been terribly fond of Peter, being far too regal himself to ever be as impressed by anyone as Peter was by James. This, however, changed in the wake of Peter’s hexing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ve got to </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>something, get revenge.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>James looked at Sirius over the top of his glasses, which Remus always found incredibly funny - mostly because it made him look like Mcgonagall, but also because James was utterly unable to see anything without his glasses. It did always manage to convey his annoyance, though, and Sirius had been on the receiving end of this look far too often recently.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We don’t even know it was the Slytherins, though.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay so if it wasn’t them, I heard them muttering about halfbloods and muggleborns again, so they deserve it anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Peter deflated a little when he realised Sirius wasn’t so bothered about avenging him as getting his pranking groove back on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We could make their robes gold.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And glittery.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>James added, pushing his glasses back up his nose. The battle was lost.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If they try to turn them back, they go pink.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Or luminous yellow.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remus sighed contentedly and leaned back in his chair, the peace could have never lasted forever. He wouldn’t have wanted it to. The Slytherins had picked up on the new divides between the Marauders- a few days ago they’d ‘accidentally’ set fire to Remus’ own copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula when he’d dropped it on the floor. The book had been salvageable with plenty of magic as he’d managed to extinguish it quickly, but it was the principle of the matter. Avery still had cloven hooves for feet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re the best at colour changing, Moony, you’ll have to sneak in.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He don’t fit under the cloak anymore.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can call it prefect duties, until we get to the common room.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>James said, slowly. The quill he’d been using to write his homework essay was now absently drawing doodles at the bottom of his page.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We only have to wear the cloak if someone’s around to </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> us though.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So… dinner?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“They’ll still be wearing their robes though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus pointed out, and Sirius pulled a face at him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Not at the weekend, dumb dumb.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They skipped dinner to finish planning and ended up slouched in the common room, having gorged themselves on Peter and Remus' secret chocolate stashes. Remus was enjoying the five minutes peace he would get before one of them would inevitably let loose some kind of havoc.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Anteoculatia.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“</span>
  </em>
  <span>What the fuck, Prongsie!?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius clasped his hands to his head as antlers began to sprout, his hair tangling on them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In peals of laughter, James had thrown himself half over the back of the burgundy sofa, wand discarded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why didn’t you tell me about how useful reading is, Moony?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius was fumbling to get his wand out in retaliation, and upon realising this, James promptly turned into a deer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey now, Sirius, you wouldn’t hex such an innocent creature, would you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter said with faux concern, simultaneously pulling his homework away from deer-James, who was advancing on it with a suspiciously hungry gaze. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Dinners over now, no animals in the common room.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus reminded them, trying to do his glassless equivalent of James’ disapproving stare. It didn’t work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span>“</span><em><span>Lumos</span></em> <em><span>Maxima</span></em><span>.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius said, and deer-James startled as if to run (probably directly into a wall) and then stopped. He stared into the light, unblinking, while the still antlered Sirius stared back in dead silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Take that, grass muncher.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If it shits on the carpet I will fucking riot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Marlene commented as she entered through the portrait hole, her arm slung lazily around Dorcas’ shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How did you get it in here?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius finally broke the spell to turn around to Marlene,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s a distant cousin.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Everyone’s your cousin, you’re inbred.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remus snorted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, fuck you guys.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey- why’s there a deer? Why's Sirius got antlers?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is Sirius’ betrothed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter said to Lily, and Remus wiped away tears of mirth,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s a customary courting thing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The stag had moved on, and Remus thought James did an awful impression of how deer were meant to act. He was now advancing on Frank Longbottom’s abandoned chess set, and was hastily shooed back by Alice.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’d best get it back outside.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How cruel, Evans, look now cold it is out there.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re allowed to have a deer and they didn’t let me bring my bloody hamster?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angus (The Angus, Captain of The Gryffindor Quidditch Team Roger) sat quietly next to Remus, who allowed himself a moment to appreciate his rugged good looks and then shook his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you seen James? Quidditch talk.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure he’s around here somewhere,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus shrugged, and realised that Sirius (still antlered) was staring at him from across the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll send him your way if I catch him.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a star, Remus.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And with a very blokey clap to the shoulder, Angus was off again. Remus cast his mind back to watching Angus swim in the lake with his friends last summer and sighed. He turned back to his book.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Later that evening, they settled down on the floor of their room to finally finish the map.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Now what the everloving fuck is a Messer?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Peter said, staring at James with some concern. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That must mean different things where we’re from.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“As in multiple Misters, dumb dumb.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not just misters, then?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Because that's </span>
  <em>
    <span>dumb</span>
  </em>
  <span>. This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>art</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Peter scowled at Sirius, and turned back to the closed map.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“So we agree, then, Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The list of us from least sexy to most sexy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>James nodded solemnly, earning him a round of outraged noises.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Password?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m up to mischief?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius wrinkled his nose,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It doesn’t sound right.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remus hummed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wordy but still too guessable. You’re posh, make it arty.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I… promise… I’m up to no good?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Swear!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t just say fuck to a map.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Says who? I’m making that the second password.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius crossed his arms and leant back against the edge of his bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I meant as in, I swear I’m up to no good.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh… better!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Solemnly swear!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Bravo!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mischief managed to close it again,”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus said as he continued to do his outline of Hogwarts on the front page, eyes flickering to his companions every now and then to check he wasn’t in danger of being jogged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can’t let anyone bad get hold of it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“If someone guesses the password wrong three times what if it just, like, combusts?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Remus passed the map over to James, who tapped it with his wand several times before sitting back, seemingly satisfied.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No combustion from you, sir.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I charm it to combust when we die?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Morbid tosser.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think it should insult strangers.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on Pete, you do the honours, it was your idea.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Peter took the wodge of fine parchment and held his wand to it,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The parchment burst into life, Sirius and James pushed forwards on their knees to gather round it and Remus nudged his way in too. Together they watched as the fully mapped castle bled out in ink, giddy with the success. James pointed gingerly to their room, where all four of their name tags overlapped each other where they were sitting so close together, and Remus revelled in the feeling of happiness.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We did it, men.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius said quietly, his eyes moving swiftly over the map and not breaking away from it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>magic</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus muttered. There was a beat of silence before Peter snorted with laughter, then they were up and leaping around, celebrating the only way they knew how: together.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hey all, been doing more reading than writing recently, as you can tell! finally read six of crows which has been on my list for literally YEARS. if you haven't it omg i recommend. anyway, hope you're well!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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